HTTP Client for JavaScript (Node.js): Top Libraries for Working with API

HTTP client for JavaScript (Node.js): top libraries for working with the network

Modern development with Node.js rarely goes without interaction with external services. Whether it's a REST API, GraphQL endpoints, or data streaming — you will need a reliable HTTP client. In this article, we will review the best libraries for making HTTP requests in the Node.js environment, their features, and usage examples.

1. Axios — a universal choice

Axios is the most popular HTTP client for Node.js and browsers. It is promise-based, supports interceptors, automatic JSON transformation, and request cancellation.

Installation

npm install axios

GET request example

const axios = require('axios');

async function getUsers() {  try {    const response = await axios.get('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users');    console.log(response.data);  } catch (error) {    console.error('Error:', error.message);  }}

getUsers();

Features:

• Support for CancelToken for request cancellation
• Automatic handling of HTTP errors (4xx and 5xx statuses)
• Works both on the server and in the browser
• Support for upload/download progress

2. Got — performance and flexibility

Got is a lightweight and fast library created specifically for Node.js. It offers a rich API and excellent performance by using the http and https modules directly.

Installation

npm install got

POST request example

const got = require('got');

async function createPost() {  try {    const response = await got.post('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts', {      json: {        title: 'New post',        body: 'Post content',        userId: 1      },      responseType: 'json'    });    console.log(response.body);  } catch (error) {    console.error('Error:', error.message);  }}

createPost();

Features:

• Support for streams and pagination
• Built-in retry support
• Working with cookies and caching
• Support for HTTP/2 (via http2-wrapper)

3. Node.js Fetch API — native standard

Starting from Node.js 18, the Fetch API has become a built-in module (available globally). This is an implementation of the same API as in browsers, which simplifies universal code.

Usage example

async function fetchData() {  try {    const response = await fetch('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1');    if (!response.ok) throw new Error('HTTP error: ' + response.status);    const data = await response.json();    console.log(data);  } catch (error) {    console.error('Error:', error.message);  }}

fetchData();

Features:

• No installation required — built into Node.js 18+
• Standard API familiar to frontend developers
• Support for AbortController for request cancellation
• Limited capabilities compared to Axios/Got (e.g., no interceptors)

4. undici — high-performance HTTP/1.1 client

undici is a fast, modern HTTP client that underlies the built-in Fetch in Node.js. It is optimized for maximum throughput.

Installation

npm install undici

Request example

const { request } = require('undici');

async function fetchWithUndici() {  try {    const { statusCode, body } = await request('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users');    const data = await body.json();    console.log('Status:', statusCode);    console.log('Da