Python · Intermediate level

Intermediate level · Module 4 of 6 · 18 guided hours

Working with Web APIs

Retrieve live data from web services, process the JSON responses and cope with unreliable connections.

Learning objectives

  • Explain HTTP requests, responses and status codes
  • Call REST APIs with the requests library
  • Handle timeouts, errors and offline use with caching

Topics

  • HTTP methods and status codes
  • query parameters and API keys
  • requests library
  • error handling and timeouts
  • caching responses to files

Lessons

  1. Lesson 1 How Web APIs Work

    Understand requests, responses, URLs, query parameters and status codes before writing client code.

    endpointGET/POSTstatus codeAPI key

  2. Lesson 2 Calling APIs with requests

    Write Python code that requests data, checks the response and extracts the needed fields.

    requests.getparamsresponse.json()raise_for_status()

  3. Lesson 3 Reliable API Clients for Low-Bandwidth Conditions

    Make API-based programs useful even when the connection is slow or drops, by retrying sensibly and caching results.

    ConnectionErrorretry with backofflocal cachedata freshness

Practical activity

Build a 'daily rates board' script that fetches exchange rates once a day, caches them, and prints a formatted SSP/USD price table for a list of goods.

Expected outcomes

  • Working API clients with proper error handling
  • Programs designed for unreliable connectivity

Assessment

Live demonstration online and offline; code reviewed for timeouts, error handling and key management.

Taught live by an instructor — online or in person. Free course lessons are for self-study and do not lead to a certificate — see registration options.