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The Hidden Standard Library Gem You’re Overlooking
Stop Installing Requests for Quick HTTP Calls in Python — Use This Built-In Instead
Most Python developers instinctively install requests for HTTP calls. But what if I told you that you already have a powerful alternative built right into Python — no extra installation required?
4 min read16 hours ago
Why We All Reach for requests First
Let’s be honest. If you’ve written even a single Python script that fetches data from an API, chances are your first move was:
pip install requestsIt’s almost muscle memory for many developers. Why? Because requests has been around for years, it’s clean, and it “just works.”
But here’s the catch:
You’re pulling in an external dependency.
That adds overhead to your project.
In some environments (e.g., serverless, restricted systems, or CI/CD pipelines), installing third-party packages isn’t always straightforward.
What if you didn’t need it at all?
