Python httpx.patch() Guide: HTTP PATCH Requests

Python's httpx library is a powerful tool for making HTTP requests. One of its key methods is httpx.patch(), which is used to send HTTP PATCH requests.

This guide will walk you through the basics of using httpx.patch(), including examples and common use cases.

What is httpx.patch()?

The httpx.patch() method is used to send a PATCH request to a specified URL. PATCH requests are typically used to update partial resources.

Unlike httpx.put(), which replaces the entire resource, httpx.patch() only updates the fields you specify.

Installing httpx

Before using httpx.patch(), you need to install the httpx library. If you haven't installed it yet, follow our step-by-step guide.

Basic Usage of httpx.patch()

Here's a simple example of how to use httpx.patch() to update a resource:

import httpx

url = "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1"
data = {"title": "Updated Title"}

response = httpx.patch(url, json=data)
print(response.status_code)
print(response.json())
    

In this example, we send a PATCH request to update the title of a post. The server responds with the updated resource.

Handling Responses

When you send a PATCH request, the server returns a response. You can check the status code and the response body.

Here's how to handle the response:

if response.status_code == 200:
    print("Update successful!")
    print(response.json())
else:
    print("Failed to update the resource.")
    

This code checks if the update was successful and prints the updated resource.

Common Use Cases

httpx.patch() is commonly used in RESTful APIs to update specific fields of a resource. For example, updating a user's email or a product's price.

It's also useful when you want to minimize the amount of data sent over the network.

Error Handling

When using httpx.patch(), it's important to handle errors. For example, if the server returns a 404 error, the resource might not exist.

Here's how to handle errors:

try:
    response = httpx.patch(url, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()
except httpx.HTTPStatusError as e:
    print(f"HTTP error occurred: {e}")
except httpx.RequestError as e:
    print(f"Request error occurred: {e}")
    

This code catches HTTP errors and request errors, ensuring your application doesn't crash.

Conclusion

Using httpx.patch() in Python is straightforward and powerful. It allows you to update specific fields of a resource efficiently.

For more information on other HTTP methods, check out our guides on httpx.put(), httpx.post(), and httpx.get().

If you encounter any issues, such as the No Module Named httpx Error, our troubleshooting guide can help.