http - Python urllib2 with keep alive

Question

How can I make a "keep alive" HTTP request using Python's urllib2?

Answer 1

Use the urlgrabber library. This includes an HTTP handler for urllib2 that supports HTTP 1.1 and keepalive:

>>> import urllib2
>>> from urlgrabber.keepalive import HTTPHandler
>>> keepalive_handler = HTTPHandler()
>>> opener = urllib2.build_opener(keepalive_handler)
>>> urllib2.install_opener(opener)
>>> 
>>> fo = urllib2.urlopen('http://www.python.org')

Note: you should use urlgrabber version 3.9.0 or earlier, as the keepalive module has been removed in version 3.9.1

There is a port of the keepalive module to Python 3.