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Performance optimization tips

Performance Optimization Tips in Using Requests

In this article, we're going to cover some essential tips to optimize the performance of your requests-based applications. These tips will help you reduce latency, save bandwidth, and improve overall efficiency.

1. Use Session Objects​

When you're making several requests to the same host, it's recommended to use a Session object. The Session object uses underlying connections in a connection pool, reducing the overhead of establishing a new connection for each request.

import requests

with requests.Session() as session:
    response = session.get('http://httpbin.org/get')

2. Stream Large Downloads​

If you're downloading large files, consider using the stream parameter in the get() method. This will download the file in chunks, saving memory.

import requests

response = requests.get('http://httpbin.org/stream/20', stream=True)

Remember to close the response with response.close() after consuming the data.

3. Set a Timeout​

Always set a timeout for your requests. If a request is taking too long, it's better to fail and try again later than to hang indefinitely. You can set the timeout in seconds like shown below:

import requests

response = requests.get('http://httpbin.org/get', timeout=1)

4. Use Connection Pooling​

Connection pooling is a technique used to speed up HTTP requests by reusing existing connections, thereby reducing the latency of the SSL/TLS handshake process. The requests library uses connection pooling by default with the Session object.

5. Handle Exceptions​

Always handle exceptions in your requests. This includes handling timeouts, connection errors, and HTTP errors. This will make your application more robust and less likely to crash.

import requests
from requests.exceptions import RequestException

try:
    response = requests.get('http://httpbin.org/get', timeout=1)
except RequestException as error:
    print(f"Error occurred: {error}")

6. Use Gzip and Deflate Compression​

If the server supports it, enable Gzip or Deflate compression to reduce the size of the response data and thus save bandwidth.

import requests

headers = {'Accept-Encoding': 'gzip, deflate'}
response = requests.get('http://httpbin.org/get', headers=headers)

By following these tips, you can significantly optimize the performance of your requests-based applications. Remember that the best practices can vary based on your specific use-case, so always consider what's best for your application's needs.