Request Object in Flask

The request object in Flask represents the client request that is sent to the server. It contains the data that the client has sent via HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.

Syntax

To create a request object in Flask, you need to first import the request module:

from flask import request

After you have imported the request module, you can access the data sent in the request using the methods provided by the request object.

Example

Here's a simple example to demonstrate how to use the request object in Flask:

from flask import Flask, request

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/hello')
def hello():
    name = request.args.get('name')
    return f'Hello, {name}!'

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run()

In the above example, we have created a Flask app that returns a custom greeting to the user based on the name parameter sent in the request.

Explanation

The request object provides many methods to access the data sent in the request.

• request.args - To access the query string parameters sent in a GET request
• request.form - To access the form data sent in a POST request
• request.cookies - To access the cookies sent in the request
• request.files - To access the uploaded files sent in the request
• request.headers - To access the headers sent in the request

You can use any of these methods based on the type of data you are expecting in the request.

Use

The request object is commonly used in Flask applications for tasks such as:

• Handling user input through forms
• Implementing authentication and authorization
• Processing and manipulating data sent in the request

Important Points

• The request object is available only in the context of a request. You cannot use it outside of a request context.
• Always validate the data received in the request to prevent security vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, etc.

Summary

In this page, we learned about the request object in Flask, how to access the data sent in the request, and how it can be used in Flask applications. We also discussed some important points to keep in mind while working with the request object.