Comparing
Tiny and elegant HTTP client based on the Fetch API
Python HTTP for Humans
| Metric | ky | requests |
|---|---|---|
| Ecosystem | npm | Python |
| Difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| Weekly downloads | 5.6M | 324.9M↑ |
| Latest version | v1.14.3 | v2.33.1 |
| Recipes | 1 | 3↑ |
ky only
Shared
requests only
Use Ky in browser-only or Deno applications where bundle size matters and you don't need Node.js compatibility. It's a direct replacement for axios in these contexts with a fraction of the footprint.
Use requests for any synchronous HTTP work: calling REST APIs, scraping web pages, downloading files, or integrating with webhooks. It's the right default for scripts, CLI tools, and Django/Flask backends that don't need async.
Ky doesn't support Node.js's older http module (though it works in Node 18+ with native fetch). For isomorphic code (same HTTP client in browser and Node), use axios or got. For React apps that need caching and state, React Query provides the better abstraction.
Avoid requests when you're writing async code — it will block your event loop. Switch to httpx (drop-in async API) or aiohttp for FastAPI backends, async scrapers, or anything running inside asyncio.
ky
requests