axios
A promise-based HTTP client that works in both browsers and Node.js.
- Stars
- 109k
- Forks
- 12k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- JavaScript
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- Library
What it is
Axios is a JavaScript library for making HTTP requests, such as fetching data from a web API or sending form data to a server. It uses promises, so you can write asynchronous request code with async/await or .then() chains. The same API works in browser apps and in Node.js servers, which is why developers reach for it.
- Send GET and POST requests to a REST API from a web page
- Make HTTP calls from a Node.js script or backend service
- Handle request and response errors in a promise-based flow
Great for
- JavaScript developers calling REST or other HTTP APIs from a browser front end
- Node.js developers who want one HTTP client API across client and server code
- Teams that want a widely used, MIT-licensed library with a large community
Not ideal for
- Developers who only need a built-in fetch call and want zero dependencies, since the browser and Node.js already offer fetch
- Non-programmers looking for an end-user app; this is a code library, not a tool with a interface
- Projects that need a non-JavaScript language; the README covers only JavaScript usage
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js
Install with npm
npm install axios - 2
Run it
- Install the package with npm install axios in your project.
- Import axios in your JavaScript file.
- Call axios.get or axios.post with a URL and handle the returned promise.
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the homepage at axios-http.com for full documentation.
- Check the README for configuration options such as base URLs and headers.
- Pin a major version to avoid unexpected breaking changes, given the v0 security notice.
Downloads
Strengths
- Same API for browser and Node.js environments
- Promise-based, which fits modern async/await code
- MIT licensed with a very large user base (about 109k GitHub stars)
Trade-offs
- The README notes a security-update notice for Axios v0, so version choice matters for maintenance
- Adds an external dependency where built-in fetch might be enough
- README is truncated here, so detailed API behavior is not fully confirmed from this source
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| axios (this) | 109k | Library | beginner | 4 days ago | JavaScript developers calling REST or other HTTP APIs from a browser front end |
| ky | 17.1k | Library | beginner | 28 days ago | JavaScript or TypeScript developers who already use fetch and want less boilerplate |
| got | 15k | Library | beginner | 7 days ago | Node.js developers who call web APIs from server-side code |
| superagent | 16.6k | Library | beginner | 1 months ago | JavaScript developers who want one HTTP client API that works in both Node.js and browsers |
| fetch | 25.8k | Library | beginner | 2.3 years ago | Front-end developers maintaining web apps that must support older browsers |
| guzzle | 23.4k | Library | intermediate | 11 days ago | PHP developers who need to call external REST or web service APIs |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.