Axios vs Fetch (Offline)

In this quick offline tutorial, Harkirat covers the Fetch method and Axios for data fetching in web development. He explains the differences between them and provides straightforward code examples for both, making it easy to grasp the essentials of these commonly used techniques.

fetch() Method

The fetch() method in JavaScript is a modern API that allows you to make network requests, typically to retrieve data from a server. It is commonly used to interact with web APIs and fetch data asynchronously. Here's a breakdown of what the fetch() method is and why it's used:

What is the fetch() Method?

The fetch() method is a built-in JavaScript function that simplifies making HTTP requests. It returns a Promise that resolves to the Response to that request, whether it is successful or not.

Why is it Used?

1. Asynchronous Data Retrieval:
   • The primary use of the fetch() method is to asynchronously retrieve data from a server. Asynchronous means that the code doesn't wait for the data to arrive before moving on. This is crucial for creating responsive and dynamic web applications.
2. Web API Interaction:
   • Many web applications interact with external services or APIs to fetch data. The fetch() method simplifies the process of making HTTP requests to these APIs.
3. Promise-Based:
   • The fetch() method returns a Promise, making it easy to work with asynchronous operations using the .then() and .catch() methods. This promotes cleaner and more readable code.
4. Flexible and Powerful:
   • fetch() is more flexible and powerful compared to older methods like XMLHttpRequest. It supports a wide range of options, including headers, request methods, and handling different types of responses (JSON, text, etc.).

Basic Example:

Here's a basic example of using the fetch() method to retrieve data from a server:

fetch('<https://api.example.com/data>')
  .then(response => {
    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`HTTP error! Status: ${response.status}`);
    }
    return response.json();
  })
  .then(data => {
    console.log('Data from server:', data);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    console.error('Fetch error:', error);
  });

In this example, we use fetch() to make a GET request to 'https://api.example.com/data', handle the response, and then parse the JSON data. The .then() and .catch() methods allow us to handle the asynchronous flow and potential errors.