Axios vs Fetch: Understanding the Differences in JavaScript HTTP Requests

When building modern web applications, making HTTP requests to interact with APIs is one of the most common tasks. In JavaScript, two popular ways to handle these requests are:

Fetch API – A built-in browser feature.
Axios – A popular third-party library.

While both achieve similar outcomes, they differ in syntax, features, and convenience. Let’s explore their differences in detail.

1. Setup and Availability

Fetch:
- Native in modern browsers and Node.js (with node-fetch polyfill).
- No installation required.

  fetch("https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts")
    .then((res) => res.json())
    .then((data) => console.log(data));

Axios:
- External library that must be installed.
- Works both in the browser and Node.js out-of-the-box.

  npm install axios

  import axios from "axios";

  axios.get("https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts")
    .then((res) => console.log(res.data));

✅ Winner: Fetch is built-in, but Axios is more feature-rich after installation.

2. Syntax and Readability

Fetch uses promises and requires converting the response manually into JSON.

  fetch("https://api.example.com/data")
    .then((res) => res.json())
    .then((data) => console.log(data))
    .catch((err) => console.error(err));

Axios automatically parses JSON responses.

  axios.get("https://api.example.com/data")
    .then((res) => console.log(res.data))
    .catch((err) => console.error(err));

✅ Winner: Axios is shorter and cleaner.

3. Error Handling

Fetch only rejects on network errors, not for 4xx/5xx responses. You must handle HTTP errors manually.

  fetch("https://api.example.com/data")
    .then((res) => {
      if (!res.ok) throw new Error("Request failed: " + res.status);
      return res.json();
    })
    .then((data) => console.log(data))
    .catch((err) => console.error(err));

Axios automatically throws errors for non-2xx status codes.

  axios.get("https://api.example.com/data")
    .then((res) => console.log(res.data))
    .catch((err) => console.error("Error:", err.response.status));

✅ Winner: Axios provides better error handling out-of-the-box.

4. Request Configuration

Fetch requires manual setup for headers, timeouts, and interceptors.

  fetch("https://api.example.com/data", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
    body: JSON.stringify({ name: "Safal" }),
  });

Axios allows simpler request configuration and supports interceptors for request/response manipulation.

  axios.post("https://api.example.com/data", { name: "Safal" }, {
    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
  });

✅ Winner: Axios makes configurations easier and more scalable.

5. Features Comparison

Feature	Fetch	Axios
Built-in (no install)	✅	❌
Automatic JSON parsing	❌	✅
Error handling (HTTP)	❌	✅
Interceptors	❌	✅
Timeout support	❌	✅
Node.js support	❌ (needs polyfill)	✅
Upload/Download progress	❌	✅

6. When to Use What?

Use Fetch if:
- You want zero dependencies.
- You’re making simple requests.
- You need modern, browser-native API support.
Use Axios if:
- You need robust error handling.
- You’re building larger apps with complex API interactions.
- You need features like interceptors, progress tracking, or Node.js support.