Top 10 Node JS HTTP Request Libraries in 2023

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by sneha@openweaver.com dot icon Updated: Mar 9, 2023

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Here are some of the famous Node JS HTTP Request Libraries. The use cases of these libraries include Server-side Web Apps, Mobile App Development, Data Processing, Data Analysis, and Network Monitoring.


Node.js HTTP Request Libraries are libraries that allow Node.js developers to make requests to web servers in order to retrieve data. This can be helpful when building web applications that need to pull in external data from other web servers. Examples of popular Node.js HTTP Request Libraries are Axios, Request, and Superagent.


Let us look at some of these famous libraries. 

axios

  • Automatically transforms all request and response data into JSON, making it easier to handle data.
  • Supports interceptors which can be used to modify or transform requests or responses before they are handled by then or catch.
  • Supports automatic token refresh.

axiosby axios

JavaScript doticonstar image 100604 doticonVersion:v1.4.0doticon
License: Permissive (MIT)

Promise based HTTP client for the browser and node.js

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            axiosby axios

            JavaScript doticon star image 100604 doticonVersion:v1.4.0doticon License: Permissive (MIT)

            Promise based HTTP client for the browser and node.js
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                      fetch

                      • Supports cancelable requests and allows developers to abort requests at any point. 
                      • Supports a wide range of HTTP methods beyond the standard GET and POST. 
                      • Provides a Promise-based API, which simplifies the process of making asynchronous requests. 

                      fetchby github

                      JavaScript doticonstar image 25751 doticonVersion:v3.6.2doticon
                      License: Permissive (MIT)

                      A window.fetch JavaScript polyfill.

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                                fetchby github

                                JavaScript doticon star image 25751 doticonVersion:v3.6.2doticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                A window.fetch JavaScript polyfill.
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                                          request

                                          • Provides full access to all Node.js features, including streams, event emitters, and files.
                                          • Is highly configurable and can be used to set timeouts, retry requests, and more.
                                          • Has built-in support for gzip and deflate encoding.

                                          requestby request

                                          JavaScript doticonstar image 25626 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                          License: Permissive (Apache-2.0)

                                          🏊🏾 Simplified HTTP request client.

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                                                    requestby request

                                                    JavaScript doticon star image 25626 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Permissive (Apache-2.0)

                                                    🏊🏾 Simplified HTTP request client.
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                                                              superagent

                                                              • Allows easy setting headers, cookies, and other request parameters. 
                                                              • Is highly configurable and supports many features that help developers quickly and easily request HTTP.  
                                                              • Supports multipart encoding, allowing developers to send binary data easily. 

                                                              superagentby ladjs

                                                              JavaScript doticonstar image 16345 doticonVersion:v8.0.9doticon
                                                              License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                              Ajax for Node.js and browsers (JS HTTP client). Maintained for @forwardemail, @ladjs, @spamscanner, @breejs, @cabinjs, and @lassjs.

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                                                                        superagentby ladjs

                                                                        JavaScript doticon star image 16345 doticonVersion:v8.0.9doticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                        Ajax for Node.js and browsers (JS HTTP client). Maintained for @forwardemail, @ladjs, @spamscanner, @breejs, @cabinjs, and @lassjs.
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                                                                                  nock

                                                                                  • Allows users to easily create custom request matchers, allowing users to create more powerful and precise requests. 
                                                                                  • Users can record and replay their requests, making debugging and testing easy.  
                                                                                  • Provides a sandbox for users to test their requests in isolation without making live calls or affecting the external environment. 

                                                                                  nockby nock

                                                                                  JavaScript doticonstar image 12174 doticonVersion:v13.3.1doticon
                                                                                  License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                  HTTP server mocking and expectations library for Node.js

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                                                                                            nockby nock

                                                                                            JavaScript doticon star image 12174 doticonVersion:v13.3.1doticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                            HTTP server mocking and expectations library for Node.js
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                                                                                                      node-fetch

                                                                                                      • Supports global agent pooling and request pooling.
                                                                                                      • Allows developers to use the same API for both server and client-side requests.
                                                                                                      • Is designed to be lightweight and fast, making it ideal for applications that require rapid response times.

                                                                                                      node-fetchby node-fetch

                                                                                                      JavaScript doticonstar image 8305 doticonVersion:v2.6.11doticon
                                                                                                      License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                      A light-weight module that brings the Fetch API to Node.js

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                                                                                                                node-fetchby node-fetch

                                                                                                                JavaScript doticon star image 8305 doticonVersion:v2.6.11doticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                A light-weight module that brings the Fetch API to Node.js
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                                                                                                                          r2

                                                                                                                          • Provides support for the latest security protocols, such as TLS 1.3.
                                                                                                                          • Support for advanced HTTP methodologies such as HTTP/2 and WebSocket.
                                                                                                                          • Allows for the implementation of custom middleware.

                                                                                                                          r2by mikeal

                                                                                                                          JavaScript doticonstar image 4475 doticonVersion:v2.0.1doticon
                                                                                                                          License: Permissive (Apache-2.0)

                                                                                                                          HTTP client. Spiritual successor to request.

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                                                                                                                                    r2by mikeal

                                                                                                                                    JavaScript doticon star image 4475 doticonVersion:v2.0.1doticon License: Permissive (Apache-2.0)

                                                                                                                                    HTTP client. Spiritual successor to request.
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                                                                                                                                              needle

                                                                                                                                              • Has built-in support for parsing JSON and can be used to create custom parsers for other formats.  
                                                                                                                                              • Is well-documented and provides a comprehensive set of APIs for making HTTP requests.  
                                                                                                                                              • Is optimized for low latency and high throughput, making it suitable for various applications. 

                                                                                                                                              needleby tomas

                                                                                                                                              JavaScript doticonstar image 1589 doticonVersion:v3.2.0doticon
                                                                                                                                              License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                              Nimble, streamable HTTP client for Node.js. With proxy, iconv, cookie, deflate & multipart support.

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                                                                                                                                                        needleby tomas

                                                                                                                                                        JavaScript doticon star image 1589 doticonVersion:v3.2.0doticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                                        Nimble, streamable HTTP client for Node.js. With proxy, iconv, cookie, deflate & multipart support.
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                                                                                                                                                                  unirest-nodejs

                                                                                                                                                                  • Has built-in support for automatically following redirects.
                                                                                                                                                                  • Allows to send both synchronous and asynchronous requests.
                                                                                                                                                                  • Has built-in support for automatically compressing and decompressing requests and responses.
                                                                                                                                                                  JavaScript doticonstar image 935 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                                                                                                                                                  License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                                                  Unirest in Node.js: Simplified, lightweight HTTP client library.

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                                                                                                                                                                            unirest-nodejsby Kong

                                                                                                                                                                            JavaScript doticon star image 935 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                                                            Unirest in Node.js: Simplified, lightweight HTTP client library.
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                                                                                                                                                                                      hyperquest

                                                                                                                                                                                      • Has built-in support for caching and retrying requests, making it easy to build resilient applications.  
                                                                                                                                                                                      • Supports server-side data serialization and deserialization, allowing developers to transform data between client and server quickly.  
                                                                                                                                                                                      • Is built on a minimalistic core, making it suitable for applications that need a small footprint. 

                                                                                                                                                                                      hyperquestby substack

                                                                                                                                                                                      JavaScript doticonstar image 705 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
                                                                                                                                                                                      License: Others (Non-SPDX)

                                                                                                                                                                                      make streaming http requests

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                                                                                                                                                                                                hyperquestby substack

                                                                                                                                                                                                JavaScript doticon star image 705 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Others (Non-SPDX)

                                                                                                                                                                                                make streaming http requests
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