Starlette includes a `Request` class that gives you a nicer interface onto
the incoming request, rather than accessing the ASGI scope and receive channel directly.
### Request
Signature: `Request(scope, receive=None)`
```python
from starlette.requests import Request
from starlette.responses import Response
class App:
def __init__(self, scope):
assert scope['type'] == 'http'
self.scope = scope
async def __call__(self, receive, send):
request = Request(self.scope, receive)
content = '%s %s' % (request.method, request.url.path)
response = Response(content, media_type='text/plain')
await response(receive, send)
```
Requests present a mapping interface, so you can use them in the same
way as a `scope`.
For instance: `request['path']` will return the ASGI path.
If you don't need to access the request body you can instantiate a request
without providing an argument to `receive`.
#### Method
The request method is accessed as `request.method`.
#### URL
The request URL is accessed as `request.url`.
The property is a string-like object that exposes all the
components that can be parsed out of the URL.
For example: `request.url.path`, `request.url.port`, `request.url.scheme`.
#### Headers
Headers are exposed as an immutable, case-insensitive, multi-dict.
For example: `request.headers['content-type']`
#### Query Parameters
Query parameters are exposed as an immutable multi-dict.
For example: `request.query_params['search']`
#### Path Parameters
Router path parameters are exposed as a dictionary interface.
For example: `request.path_params['username']`
#### Client Address
The client's remote address is exposed as a named two-tuple `request.client`.
Either item in the tuple may be `None`.
The hostname or IP address: `request.client.host`
The port number from which the client is connecting: `request.client.port`
#### Cookies
Cookies are exposed as a regular dictionary interface.
For example: `request.cookies.get('mycookie')`
#### Body
There are a few different interfaces for returning the body of the request:
The request body as bytes: `await request.body()`
The request body, parsed as form data or multipart: `await request.form()`
The request body, parsed as JSON: `await request.json()`
You can also access the request body as a stream, using the `async for` syntax:
```python
from starlette.requests import Request
from starlette.responses import Response
class App:
def __init__(self, scope):
assert scope['type'] == 'http'
self.scope = scope
async def __call__(self, receive, send):
request = Request(self.scope, receive)
body = b''
async for chunk in request.stream():
body += chunk
response = Response(body, media_type='text/plain')
await response(receive, send)
```
If you access `.stream()` then the byte chunks are provided without storing
the entire body to memory. Any subsequent calls to `.body()`, `.form()`, or `.json()`
will raise an error.
In some cases such as long-polling, or streaming responses you might need to
determine if the client has dropped the connection. You can determine this
state with `disconnected = await request.is_disconnected()`.
#### Request Files
Request files are normally sent as multipart form data (`multipart/form-data`).
When you call `await request.form()` you receive a `starlette.datastructures.FormData` which is an immutable
multidict, containing both file uploads and text input. File upload items are represented as instances of `starlette.datastructures.UploadFile`.
`UploadFile` has the following attributes:
* `filename`: A `str` with the original file name that was uploaded (e.g. `myimage.jpg`).
* `content_type`: A `str` with the content type (MIME type / media type) (e.g. `image/jpeg`).
* `file`: A `SpooledTemporaryFile` (a file-like object). This is the actual Python file that you can pass directly to other functions or libraries that expect a "file-like" object.
`UploadFile` has the following `async` methods. They all call the corresponding file methods underneath (using the internal `SpooledTemporaryFile`).
* `async write(data)`: Writes `data` (`str` or `bytes`) to the file.
* `async read(size)`: Reads `size` (`int`) bytes/characters of the file.
* `async seek(offset)`: Goes to the byte position `offset` (`int`) in the file.
* E.g., `await myfile.seek(0)` would go to the start of the file.
* `async close()`: Closes the file.
As all these methods are `async` methods, you need to "await" them.
For example, you can get the file name and the contents with:
```python
form = await request.form()
filename = form["upload_file"].filename
contents = await form["upload_file"].read()
```
#### Other state
If you want to store additional information on the request you can do so
using `request.state`.
For example:
`request.state.time_started = time.time()`