Top 7 Open-Source HTTP Request Libraries for Node.js

Top 7 Open-Source HTTP Request Libraries for Node.js

Welcome to the ultimate guide on Top 7 Open-Source HTTP Request Libraries for Node.js!

Whether you’re crafting your first Node.js app or optimizing a complex server-side project, handling HTTP requests is a core aspect of building modern applications. With countless libraries available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve curated this list of the best tools, highlighting their features, use cases, and examples to help you make an informed choice.

So, let’s explore these amazing libraries and see how they can enhance your development workflow!

1. node-fetch

• GitHub stars: 8.7k+
• NPM weekly downloads: 50m–60m
• License: MIT
• Written in: JavaScript, TypeScript
• Links: GitHub repo | NPM page

A lightweight, widely-used library for HTTP requests in Node.js, node-fetch is designed to stay consistent with the browser's fetch API.

Key Features:

• Compatible with the window.fetch API.
• Uses native Node streams for requests and responses.
• Supports promises and async functions.
• Decodes gzip, deflate, and brotli encodings seamlessly.
• Includes extensions for debugging, such as redirect and response size limits.

Installation:

npm i node-fetch

Example Usage:

// Importing node-fetch
const fetch = require('node-fetch');

// Define the data to send in the request body
const requestBody = {
  name: "John Doe",
  email: "john.doe@example.com"
};

// Define the API endpoint
const apiEndpoint = 'https://api.example.com/users';

(async () => {
  try {
    // Send a POST request
    const response = await fetch(apiEndpoint, {
      method: 'POST', // HTTP method
      headers: {
        'Content-Type': 'application/json', // Specify JSON payload
        'Authorization': 'Bearer your-token-here' // Example authorization header
      },
      body: JSON.stringify(requestBody) // Convert object to JSON string
    });

    // Check if the request was successful
    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`HTTP error! Status: ${response.status}`);
    }

    // Parse the JSON response
    const responseData = await response.json();
    console.log('Response Data:', responseData);
  } catch (error) {
    // Handle errors
    console.error('Error:', error.message);
  }
})();

Output:

Response Data: { id: 123, name: 'John Doe', email: 'john.doe@example.com', status: 'created' }

2. Axios

• GitHub stars: 105k+
• NPM weekly downloads: 48m–60m
• License: MIT
• Written in: JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML
• Links: GitHub repo | NPM page | Official website

Axios is a popular library that works seamlessly for both Node.js and browser environments.

Key Features:

• Supports HTTP requests from Node.js.
• Built-in support for the Promise API.
• Transform request/response data.
• Intercepts and cancels requests.
• Automatically transforms JSON data.

Installation:

npm i axios

Example Usage:

// Import Axios
const axios = require('axios');

// Define the data to send in the POST request
const requestBody = {
  name: "Jane Doe",
  email: "jane.doe@example.com",
  subscription: "premium"
};

// Define the API endpoint
const apiEndpoint = 'https://api.example.com/users';

(async () => {
  try {
    // Send a POST request
    const response = await axios.post(apiEndpoint, requestBody, {
      headers: {
        'Content-Type': 'application/json', // Specify the data type
        'Authorization': 'Bearer your-auth-token' // Example of using an authorization token
      }
    });

    // Log the successful response
    console.log('Response Data:', response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    // Handle errors
    if (error.response) {
      // Server responded with a status other than 2xx
      console.error('Error Response:', error.response.data);
      console.error('Status Code:', error.response.status);
    } else if (error.request) {
      // Request was sent, but no response received
      console.error('No Response Received:', error.request);
    } else {
      // Error setting up the request
      console.error('Error Message:', error.message);
    }
  }
})();

3. got

• GitHub stars: 13.7k+
• NPM weekly downloads: 19m–25m
• License: MIT
• Written in: TypeScript (100%)
• Links: GitHub repo | NPM page

got is a modern, feature-rich library with built-in TypeScript support.

Key Features:

• Promise and stream APIs.
• Supports HTTP/2, request cancellation, and retrying failed requests.
• Includes JSON mode and RFC-compliant caching.

Installation:

npm i got

Example Usage:

// Import the 'got' library
const got = require('got');

// Define the data to send in the POST request
const requestBody = {
  title: "Got Library Example",
  description: "This is a simple demonstration of the got HTTP client."
};

// Define the API endpoint
const apiEndpoint = 'https://api.example.com/posts';

(async () => {
  try {
    // Send a POST request
    const response = await got.post(apiEndpoint, {
      json: requestBody, // Automatically stringifies the JSON
      responseType: 'json', // Automatically parses the response as JSON
      headers: {
        'Authorization': 'Bearer your-auth-token'
      }
    });

    // Log the successful response
    console.log('Response:', response.body);
  } catch (error) {
    // Handle errors
    if (error.response) {
      console.error('Server Error:', error.response.body);
    } else {
      console.error('Request Failed:', error.message);
    }
  }
})();

4.superagent

• GitHub stars: 16.5k+
• NPM weekly downloads: 8m–12m
• License: MIT
• Written in: JavaScript
• Links: GitHub repo | NPM page

superagent is a flexible, plugin-friendly library for Node.js and browsers.

Popular Plugins:

• Prevent caching with superagent-no-cache.
• Simulate REST APIs with superagent-mock.
• Flexible caching using superagent-cache-plugin.

Installation:

npm i superagent

Example Usage:

// Import the 'superagent' library
const superagent = require('superagent');

// Define the API endpoint
const apiEndpoint = 'https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts';

(async () => {
  try {
    // Send a GET request
    const response = await superagent
      .get(apiEndpoint)
      .query({ userId: 1 }) // Add query parameters
      .set('Authorization', 'Bearer your-auth-token') // Set headers
      .set('Accept', 'application/json'); // Specify the expected response format

    // Log the response body
    console.log('Response Data:', response.body);
  } catch (error) {
    // Handle errors
    if (error.response) {
      console.error('Error Status:', error.status);
      console.error('Error Details:', error.response.body);
    } else {
      console.error('Request Failed:', error.message);
    }
  }
})();

5. cross-fetch

• GitHub stars: 1.5k+
• NPM weekly downloads: 15m–20m
• License: MIT
• Written in: JavaScript, TypeScript
• Links: GitHub repo | NPM page

A universal fetch API library that supports Node.js, browsers, and React Native.

The cross-fetch library is a versatile and universal implementation of the WHATWG Fetch API that works seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Node.js, web browsers, and React Native. It's particularly useful when you’re working on a project that needs a single codebase to operate consistently in different environments.

Installation:

npm i cross-fetch

Example Usage:

const fetch = require('cross-fetch');

(async () => {
  try {
    const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
    
    // Check for HTTP errors
    if (response.status >= 400) {
      throw new Error('Bad response from server');
    }

    // Parse the response as JSON
    const data = await response.json();
    console.log(data);
  } catch (err) {
    console.error('Error:', err.message);
  }
})();

Conclusion

Selecting the right HTTP request library for your Node.js project is essential for optimizing performance, improving maintainability, and meeting your specific project needs. Each of the libraries discussed — axios, node-fetch, got, superagent, and others—has its unique strengths:

• axios stands out for its user-friendly syntax and automatic handling of JSON data.
• node-fetch excels in being lightweight and offering a familiar API for those accustomed to the Fetch API in browsers.
• got provides advanced features like retries, streaming, and detailed error handling.
• superagent shines with its flexibility, chainable methods, and extensive plugin ecosystem.

When choosing an HTTP client, consider factors such as the complexity of your API interactions, the library’s feature set, and your team’s familiarity with the tool. With the right choice, you can enhance your development experience and streamline your application’s data-fetching operations.

Explore these libraries, experiment with their capabilities, and unlock new possibilities for crafting efficient and reliable Node.js applications.

Thank You for Reading, Happy coding! 🚀