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Requests vs httpx vs aiohttp for Python HTTP — which is the right choice?
Verdict: If you need simplicity and a well-established library, go with Requests. For asynchronous programming, choose Aiohttp — it's actively maintained and robust. Httpx is a great middle ground with both sync and async support, but it's newer and may lack some community resources compared to Requests.
Comparison of Python HTTP Clients
| Project | Stars | Last Push | Maintenance | Open Issues | License | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Requests | 54,057 | 6 days ago | ✅ Active | 228 | Apache-2.0 | Simplicity, wide adoption |
| Aiohttp | 16,458 | 1 day ago | ✅ Active | 219 | Apache-2.0 | Asynchronous client/server framework |
| Httpx | 15,311 | 85 days ago | ⚠️ Maintained | 145 | BSD-3-Clause | Sync and async HTTP client |
Project Insights
Requests
- Stars: 54,057
- Last Push: 6 days ago
- Maintenance: Actively maintained
- Open Issues: 228
- License: Apache-2.0
- Overview: Requests is the most widely adopted HTTP library in Python. It provides a simple API for HTTP requests, including support for various features like sessions, cookies, and more advanced HTTP functionalities.
Aiohttp
- Stars: 16,458
- Last Push: 1 day ago
- Maintenance: Actively maintained
- Open Issues: 219
- License: Apache-2.0
- Overview: Aiohttp is specifically designed for asynchronous programming in Python, supporting both client and server. It is great for applications that require handling many connections simultaneously and comes with built-in WebSocket support.
Httpx
- Stars: 15,311
- Last Push: 85 days ago
- Maintenance: Maintained
- Open Issues: 145
- License: BSD-3-Clause
- Overview: Httpx is a newer option that offers a powerful client with both synchronous and asynchronous capabilities. It builds on the user-friendliness of Requests but also introduces support for HTTP/2.
Conclusion
- Choose Requests if you prioritize ease of use and community support for standard HTTP operations.
- Aiohttp is the clear choice for asynchronous applications needing fast connections and handling of many clients.
- Httpx is ideal if you want a modern HTTP client that supports both paradigms but note that it may not have the same level of community resources as Requests.
Choose Requests if you’re starting with HTTP in Python, Aiohttp for performance with async tasks, and Httpx if you want a hybrid solution.