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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For most application code, use Requests when its simpler HTTP interface will make requests easier to write and maintain. Choose Python’s built-in urllib.request when you must avoid third-party dependencies or its standard-library tools already meet your needs. Requests is a separately installed package; urllib.request ships with Python.
Requests vs. urllib.request at a glance
| Consideration | Requests | urllib.request |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Install separately with pip; it is not part of the Python standard library. See Requests documentation. | Included with Python. See Python 3.13 documentation. |
| API style | Higher-level HTTP-client interface with conveniences for parameters, JSON, sessions, authentication, cookies, proxies, and multipart uploads. See Requests documentation. | Standard-library request and handler machinery. See Python 3.13 documentation. |
| Repeated HTTP calls | Keep-alive and connection pooling are automatic when using sessions, according to its documentation. See Requests documentation. | Python 3.13 documentation says HTTP requests use HTTP/1.1 and include Connection: close. See Python 3.13 documentation. |
| Timeouts and TLS | Supports timeouts and verifies TLS certificates by default; verify controls certificate verification. See Requests API documentation. |
Supports timeouts and lets you provide an SSL context. See Python 3.13 documentation. |
| Documented Python compatibility | Its documentation currently states support for Python 3.10 and later. Check the release documentation against your runtime. See Requests documentation. | Available as part of Python; consult the documentation for the Python version your deployment uses. See Python 3.13 documentation. |
When Requests is the better fit
Requests is usually the more convenient choice when an application needs several HTTP features and you value a compact, readable interface. For example, it can pass query parameters as a mapping, encode JSON request bodies, decode JSON responses, and reuse a session for related calls. Its documentation also covers authentication, cookies, proxy configuration, streaming, and multipart uploads.
Python’s documentation itself says, “The Requests package is recommended for a higher-level HTTP client interface.” That recommendation describes the interface, not a claim that Requests is always faster, safer, or right for every project.
When urllib.request is the better fit
Choose urllib.request if your project requires standard-library-only code, if adding and managing a dependency is undesirable, or if its request and handler APIs already do what you need. It is also a natural fit for code that already relies on standard-library handlers.
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Here, “urllib” means specifically urllib.request, the module for opening and handling URLs. The urllib package contains other modules, so this comparison does not cover every part of that package.
How much should connection behavior affect the choice?
For repeated calls, Requests documents automatic keep-alive and connection pooling through urllib3. The Python 3.13 urllib.request documentation, by contrast, says its HTTP requests use HTTP/1.1 and include a Connection: close header. That is a meaningful documented difference to consider if your program makes repeated requests.
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It is not a performance benchmark. The sources do not establish which library is faster for a particular workload, and results can depend on the server, network, request pattern, and application. Choose based on your requirements rather than assuming a speed advantage.
Set timeouts and preserve TLS verification
Both choices let you set a timeout. Give production network operations an appropriate finite timeout rather than allowing a request to wait indefinitely. The right duration depends on what the application is doing; neither API’s existence of a timeout determines a universal value.
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Requests verifies TLS certificates by default. Do not use verify=False as a routine fix: Requests warns that it accepts invalid certificates and can leave the application vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. If verification fails, fix the trust store or configure the correct CA bundle. With urllib.request, configure an appropriate SSL context when needed, and retain certificate validation.
Check Python compatibility before installing Requests
Requests’ documentation currently states that it officially supports Python 3.10 and later. Since supported versions can change, check the current release documentation against the Python version used in development and deployment. If you cannot add a dependency or the available Requests release does not support your runtime, urllib.request may be the practical choice.
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Decision guide
- Use Requests for application code that benefits from a concise client interface, especially when you need sessions, JSON handling, authentication, or proxy configuration.
- Use
urllib.requestwhen standard-library-only code is a requirement or the built-in API already covers the task. - For either library, set finite timeouts and keep HTTPS certificate verification enabled.
- For repeated requests, consider the documented connection behavior, but do not treat it as proof of a speed difference for your own workload.
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