Requests: The Simple (e.g. usable) HTTP Module

Most existing Python modules for dealing HTTP requests are insane. I have to look up everything that I want to do. Most of my worst Python experiences are a result of the various built-in HTTP libraries (yes, even worse than Logging).

But this one's different. This one's going to be awesome. And simple.

Really simple.

Features

• Extremely simple GET, HEAD, POST, PUT, DELETE Requests

  • Simple HTTP Header Request Attachment
  • Simple Data/Params Request Attachment
  • Simple Multipart File Uploads
  • CookieJar Support

• Simple Authentication

  • Simple URL + HTTP Auth Registry

Usage

It couldn't be simpler.

>>> import requests
>>> r = requests.get('http://google.com')

HTTPS? Basic Authentication?

>>> r = requests.get('https://convore.com/api/account/verify.json')
>>> r.status_code
401

Uh oh, we're not authorized! Let's add authentication.

>>> conv_auth = ('requeststest', 'requeststest')
>>> r = requests.get('https://convore.com/api/account/verify.json', auth=conv_auth)

>>> r.status_code
200

>>> r.headers['content-type']
'application/json'

>>> r.content
'{"username": "requeststest", "url": "/users/requeststest/", "id": "9408", "img": "censored-long-url"}'

API

Requests:

All request functions return a Response object (see below).

If a {filename: fileobject} dictionary is passed in (files=...), a multipart_encode upload will be performed. If CookieJar object is is passed in (cookies=...), the cookies will be sent with the request.

GET Requests

>>> request.get(url, params={}, headers={}, cookies=None, auth=None)
<request object>

HEAD Requests

>>> request.head(url, params={}, headers={}, cookies=None, auth=None)
<request object>

PUT Requests

>>> request.put(url, data='', headers={}, files={}, cookies=None, auth=None)
<request object>

POST Requests

>>> request.post(url, data={}, headers={}, files={}, cookies=None, auth=None)
<request object>

DELETE Requests

>>> request.delete(url, params={}, headers={}, cookies=None, auth=None)
<request object>

Responses:

Response.status_code

(Integer) Received HTTP Status Code Response

Response.headers

(Dictionary) Received HTTP Response Headers

Response.content

(Bytes) Received Content

Response.url

(String) URL of response. Useful for detecting redirects.

Response.ok

(Bool) True if no errors occurred during the request, and the status_code is kosher.

Response.cached

(Bool) True if Response.content is stored within the object.

Response.error

(HTTPError) If an HTTPError occurred (e.g. status of 404), Otherwise this is None.

Response.raise_for_status()

Raises HTTPError if a request is not kosher.

HTTP Authentication Registry:

You can register AuthObjects to automatically enable HTTP Authentication on requests that contain a registered base URL string.

>>> requests.auth_manager.add_auth(url, authobject)

Installation

To install requests, simply:

$ pip install requests

Or, if you absolutely must:

$ easy_install requests

But, you really shouldn't do that.

Contribute

If you'd like to contribute, simply fork the repository, commit your changes to the develop branch (or branch off of it), and send a pull request. Make sure you add yourself to AUTHORS.

Roadmap

• Sphinx Documentation (http://code.kennethreitz.com/requests/)
• Exhaustive unit tests
• Get rid of Poster (gets really nasty in py3.x)
• Python 3.x Support