DEV Community

Cover image for Getting Data Through Using API in JavaScript.
Sudhanshu Gaikwad
Sudhanshu Gaikwad

Posted on

Getting Data Through Using API in JavaScript.

When building web applications, making HTTP requests is a common task. There are several ways to do this in JavaScript, each with its own advantages and use cases. In this post, we’ll explore four popular methods: fetch(), axios(), $.ajax(), and XMLHttpRequest(), with simple examples for each.

1. Using fetch()
The fetch() function allows you to request HTTP to fetch resources from a network. It uses promises, which makes it easier to handle asynchronous operations.

Example

fetch('https://api.example.com/data')
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data))
  .catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

2. Using Axios()
axios() is a popular HTTP client for making requests from browsers or Node.jsapplications. It is similar to the built-in fetch() API but includes additional features such as request and response interceptors, automatic JSONparsing, and more.

Example

axios.get('https://api.example.com/data')
  .then(response => console.log(response.data))
  .catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

3. Using $.ajax()
If you’re working with jQuery, you can use the $.ajax() function to make HTTP requests. It provides a simple interface for making AJAX requests and handling responses.

Example

$.ajax({
  url: 'https://api.example.com/data',
  method: 'GET',
  success: function(data) {
    console.log(data);
  },
  error: function(error) {
    console.error('Error:', error);
  }
});
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

4. Using XMLHttpRequest()
The XMLHttpRequest object provides an easy way to fetch data from a URL without a page refresh. It's a bit lower-level than fetch() or libraries like Axios, but it's still widely used in many applications.

Example

var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
xhr.open('GET', 'https://api.example.com/data', true);
xhr.onload = function() {
  if (xhr.status >= 200 && xhr.status < 300) {
    console.log(JSON.parse(xhr.responseText));
  } else {
    console.error('Error:', xhr.statusText);
  }
};
xhr.onerror = function() {
  console.error('Request failed');
};
xhr.send();
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

In this example, we create a new XMLHttpRequest, open a GET request, and handle the response by checking the status code and parsing the response text.

Heroku

This site is built on Heroku

Join the ranks of developers at Salesforce, Airbase, DEV, and more who deploy their mission critical applications on Heroku. Sign up today and launch your first app!

Get Started

Top comments (0)

Cloudinary image

Video API: manage, encode, and optimize for any device, channel or network condition. Deliver branded video experiences in minutes and get deep engagement insights.

Learn more

👋 Kindness is contagious

Please leave a ❤️ or a friendly comment on this post if you found it helpful!

Okay