The ReadTimeout error often appears when using the Python requests module for web scraping with an explicit timeout parameter. This exception indicates that the server did not send any data in the allotted time. For developers looking to handle web data efficiently, incorporating a robust web scraping API can significantly streamline the process. These APIs are designed to manage the complexities of scraping tasks, offering a more reliable and efficient way to retrieve data without running into common errors like ReadTimeout. By leveraging such tools, developers can focus on analyzing data rather than dealing with the intricacies of web scraping.
import requests
response = requests.get("https://httpbin.dev/delay/2", timeout=1.5) # 1.5 seconds
# will raise
# ReadTimeout: HTTPConnectionPool(host='httpbin.dev', port=80): Read timed out. (read timeout=2)
The ReadTimeout exception indicates that the request could not be completed within the specified time frame. By default, the requests module does not have a timeout, which can cause the entire program to hang indefinitely. Therefore, it is recommended to always set this value between 1-120 seconds, depending on the target.
If you frequently encounter ReadTimeout exceptions, it’s possible that your scraper is being blocked by the website. For more information on this, refer to our guide on how to scrape without getting blocked.
See related errors: ConnectTimeout