How to handle different HTTP status codes in Python requests

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of handling different HTTP status codes in Python requests. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced Python developer, you'll learn how to effectively manage common HTTP status codes and implement advanced error handling techniques to build more robust and reliable Python web applications.

Skills Graph

Introduction to HTTP Status Codes

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the foundation of data communication on the web. When a client (such as a web browser) sends a request to a server, the server responds with an HTTP status code. These status codes provide information about the outcome of the request, indicating whether it was successful, failed, or if further action is required.

Understanding HTTP status codes is crucial for developers working with Python's requests library, as it allows them to handle different scenarios and provide appropriate responses to their users.

What are HTTP Status Codes?

HTTP status codes are 3-digit numbers that represent the status of an HTTP request. They are divided into the following categories:

• 1xx (Informational): These status codes indicate that the request was received and the server is processing it.
• 2xx (Successful): These status codes indicate that the request was successfully received, understood, and accepted.
• 3xx (Redirection): These status codes indicate that further action is needed to complete the request.
• 4xx (Client Error): These status codes indicate that the client made a request that the server could not fulfill.
• 5xx (Server Error): These status codes indicate that the server failed to fulfill a valid request.

Common HTTP Status Codes

Some of the most common HTTP status codes are:

Understanding these common status codes and their meanings is crucial for handling different scenarios in your Python requests applications.

Handling Common HTTP Status Codes in Python Requests

When working with the Python requests library, it's essential to handle different HTTP status codes to ensure your application can respond appropriately to various scenarios. Let's explore how to handle some of the most common HTTP status codes.

Handling Successful Responses

For successful requests, you can use the following code to check the status code and handle the response accordingly:

import requests

response = requests.get('https://api.example.com/data')
if response.status_code == 200:
    data = response.json()
    print(data)
else:
    print(f'Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}')

In this example, we check if the status code is 200 (OK), and if so, we process the response data. If the status code is not 200, we print an error message.

Handling Redirection Responses

When a server responds with a 3xx status code, it indicates that the requested resource has been moved to a different location. You can handle these cases as follows:

import requests

response = requests.get('https://example.com')
if response.status_code == 301 or response.status_code == 302:
    new_url = response.headers['Location']
    print(f'Redirecting to: {new_url}')
    response = requests.get(new_url)
    if response.status_code == 200:
        data = response.json()
        print(data)
    else:
        print(f'Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}')
else:
    print(f'Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}')

In this example, we check if the status code is 301 (Moved Permanently) or 302 (Found), and if so, we retrieve the new URL from the Location header and make a new request to the updated location.

Handling Client and Server Errors

For client errors (4xx) and server errors (5xx), you can use the following approach:

import requests

response = requests.get('https://api.example.com/non-existent-endpoint')
if response.status_code >= 400 and response.status_code < 500:
    print(f'Client error: {response.status_code} - {response.text}')
elif response.status_code >= 500:
    print(f'Server error: {response.status_code} - {response.text}')
else:
    data = response.json()
    print(data)

In this example, we check if the status code is in the 4xx range (client error) or the 5xx range (server error), and we print the appropriate error message.

By handling these common HTTP status codes, you can create more robust and user-friendly Python applications that can gracefully handle various server responses.

Advanced Error Handling Techniques

While the previous section covered handling common HTTP status codes, there are more advanced techniques you can use to handle errors in your Python requests applications.

Custom Exception Handling

One way to handle errors more effectively is to create custom exceptions for your application. This allows you to catch and handle specific types of errors more easily. Here's an example:

import requests

class RequestError(Exception):
    pass

class ClientError(RequestError):
    pass

class ServerError(RequestError):
    pass

def make_request(url):
    try:
        response = requests.get(url)
        response.raise_for_status()
        return response.json()
    except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
        if 400 <= response.status_code < 500:
            raise ClientError(str(e))
        elif 500 <= response.status_code < 600:
            raise ServerError(str(e))
        else:
            raise RequestError(str(e))

try:
    data = make_request('https://api.example.com/non-existent-endpoint')
except ClientError as e:
    print(f'Client error: {e}')
except ServerError as e:
    print(f'Server error: {e}')
except RequestError as e:
    print(f'General request error: {e}')

In this example, we define custom exceptions (RequestError, ClientError, and ServerError) that inherit from the base Exception class. We then use these exceptions to handle different types of errors in the make_request function.

Logging Errors

Another advanced technique is to log errors for better debugging and monitoring. You can use the built-in logging module in Python to achieve this:

import requests
import logging

logging.basicConfig(level=logging.ERROR, format='%(asctime)s %(levelname)s: %(message)s')

def make_request(url):
    try:
        response = requests.get(url)
        response.raise_for_status()
        return response.json()
    except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
        if 400 <= response.status_code < 500:
            logging.error(f'Client error: {response.status_code} - {response.text}')
            raise
        elif 500 <= response.status_code < 600:
            logging.error(f'Server error: {response.status_code} - {response.text}')
            raise
        else:
            logging.error(f'General request error: {response.status_code} - {response.text}')
            raise

try:
    data = make_request('https://api.example.com/non-existent-endpoint')
except Exception as e:
    logging.exception('An error occurred while making the request')

In this example, we set up a basic logging configuration to log errors at the ERROR level. We then use the logging.error function to log the error details within the make_request function. Finally, we wrap the entire call to make_request in a try-except block to log any remaining exceptions.

By implementing these advanced error handling techniques, you can create more robust and maintainable Python requests applications that can gracefully handle a wide range of error scenarios.

Summary

By the end of this tutorial, you will have a comprehensive understanding of how to handle various HTTP status codes in Python requests. You'll be equipped with the knowledge and techniques to write more resilient and error-tolerant Python code, making your web development projects more reliable and maintainable.