How Can I View Website API Calls in Chrome Using Python?

In today’s digital landscape, understanding how websites communicate behind the scenes is a powerful skill for developers, testers, and curious tech enthusiasts alike. One of the most insightful ways to gain this understanding is by observing the API calls a website makes—those invisible requests that fetch data, authenticate users, or update information dynamically. If you’ve ever wondered how to capture and analyze these API calls directly within your browser and then leverage that knowledge using Python, you’re in the right place.

Chrome, with its robust Developer Tools, offers a window into the complex interactions between your browser and web servers. By tapping into these tools, you can monitor network traffic in real-time and identify the exact API endpoints a website uses. But the journey doesn’t stop there. Translating this insight into Python scripts opens up a world of possibilities, from automating data extraction to testing and debugging web applications programmatically.

This article will guide you through the essentials of spotting API calls in Chrome and show you how to harness that information using Python. Whether you’re looking to build your own web scrapers, automate workflows, or simply deepen your understanding of web technologies, mastering this skill will elevate your toolkit and empower your projects.

Using Chrome Developer Tools to Inspect API Calls

To observe API calls made by a website in Chrome, the built-in Developer Tools (DevTools) are an invaluable resource. These tools allow you to monitor network activity, including requests to backend APIs, in real-time.

Open Chrome and navigate to the website you want to inspect. Then, press `F12` or right-click anywhere on the page and select Inspect to open DevTools. Click on the Network tab to view network requests.

Key steps to effectively use the Network tab include:

Filter Requests: Use the filter bar to limit requests to `XHR` or `Fetch` types, which are typically used for API calls.
Preserve Log: Enable the Preserve log option to keep network data even after page reloads.
Inspect Request and Response: Click on a specific request to see detailed headers, payload, and response data.
Timing and Initiator: Analyze the timing tab to understand request duration, and view the initiator to see what triggered the call.

This process helps you identify the endpoints, HTTP methods, request headers, and payload formats used by the website’s API.

Programmatically Capturing API Calls with Python

Once you have identified the API endpoints and request details in Chrome, you can automate API call inspection using Python. There are several approaches depending on your needs:

Using `requests` Library: For straightforward API interaction, replicate observed calls with Python’s `requests` library by manually setting headers, parameters, and data.
Intercepting Traffic via a Proxy: Tools like `mitmproxy` or `BrowserMob Proxy` can capture HTTP traffic from browsers, allowing you to analyze requests programmatically.
Automating Chrome with Selenium and DevTools Protocol: Selenium WebDriver can be combined with Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) to intercept network requests dynamically while browsing.

Here is a comparison of these methods:

Method	Capabilities	Complexity	Best Use Case
Python `requests`	Send HTTP requests, inspect responses	Low	Replaying known API calls
Proxy Tools (mitmproxy)	Capture & modify live browser traffic	Medium	Analyzing traffic from any app/browser
Selenium + DevTools Protocol	Intercept network calls during automation	High	Testing and dynamic scraping

Example: Capturing Network Requests with Selenium and CDP

To programmatically monitor API calls in Chrome using Python, you can use Selenium with Chrome’s DevTools Protocol. This allows you to listen to network events and extract request/response data.

A simplified example workflow:

Launch Chrome with Selenium WebDriver.
Enable the Network domain using CDP commands.
Define an event listener to capture and log network requests.
Navigate to the target website and wait for API calls.
Process and store the captured network data.

Below is a basic snippet illustrating this concept:

“`python
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.service import Service
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options
from selenium.webdriver.common.desired_capabilities import DesiredCapabilities
import json

Enable performance logging to capture network events
options = Options()
caps = DesiredCapabilities.CHROME
caps[‘goog:loggingPrefs’] = {‘performance’: ‘ALL’}

service = Service(‘path/to/chromedriver’)
driver = webdriver.Chrome(service=service, options=options, desired_capabilities=caps)

driver.get(‘https://example.com’)

Extract network events from performance logs
logs = driver.get_log(‘performance’)

for entry in logs:
log = json.loads(entry[‘message’])[‘message’]
if ‘Network.requestWillBeSent’ in log[‘method’]:
request = log[‘params’][‘request’]
url = request[‘url’]
method = request[‘method’]
headers = request[‘headers’]
print(f”Request URL: {url}”)
print(f”Method: {method}”)
print(f”Headers: {headers}”)

driver.quit()
“`

This method provides real-time access to API calls triggered by website interactions. You can expand the script to filter specific endpoints, extract request payloads, or capture response content.

Best Practices for Working with API Calls in Python

When automating API call inspection or interaction in Python, keep in mind the following best practices:

Respect Terms of Service: Always ensure your activities comply with the website’s usage policies and legal requirements.
Handle Authentication: Many APIs require authentication tokens or cookies; replicate these in your Python requests.
Manage Rate Limits: Avoid sending excessive requests that may lead to blocking or throttling.
Use Sessions: Utilize persistent `requests.Session()` objects to maintain cookies and connection pooling.
Parse JSON Safely: Most APIs return JSON; use Python’s `json` module to safely parse response data.
Error Handling: Implement retries and error checks for network failures or unexpected status codes.

Adhering to these guidelines ensures reliable, ethical, and efficient API data extraction and analysis.

Capturing API Calls from Websites Using Chrome Developer Tools

To analyze API calls made by a website, Chrome Developer Tools offers a powerful, built-in network monitoring feature. This approach helps you identify the requests, inspect headers, and understand the data exchange between the client and server.

Follow these steps to capture API calls in Chrome:

Open Developer Tools: Press Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Option+I (Mac) or right-click on the webpage and select Inspect.
Go to the Network Tab: This tab records all network requests made by the browser.
Filter Requests: Use the filter box or select XHR or Fetch to display only API calls, which are typically AJAX or fetch requests.
Reload the Page: To capture all initial API calls, reload the webpage with the Network tab open.
Inspect Individual Requests: Click on a request to view detailed information, including:
- Request URL
- Request headers and payload
- Response headers and body
- Timing and status codes
Copy Request Details: Right-click on a request and choose Copy options such as Copy as cURL, which can be helpful for replicating requests programmatically.

Feature	Description	Shortcut/Location
Open Developer Tools	Access Chrome’s built-in tools for inspecting webpage elements and network activity	`Ctrl+Shift+I` / `Cmd+Option+I`
Network Tab	View all network requests including API calls made by the browser	Tabs panel in Developer Tools
XHR/Fetch Filter	Filters requests to show only asynchronous JavaScript requests, commonly APIs	Filter dropdown in Network tab
Copy as cURL	Export a network request as a cURL command for use in terminal or scripts	Right-click request → Copy → Copy as cURL

Replicating API Calls with Python

After identifying the API calls via Chrome Developer Tools, you can replicate these calls using Python to automate data retrieval or testing. The requests library is widely used for this purpose due to its simplicity and effectiveness.

Here are the key steps to reproduce API calls in Python:

Install the Requests Library:
```
pip install requests
```
Recreate the Request URL and Method: Use the exact URL and HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, etc.) observed in Chrome.
Set Headers: Copy relevant headers such as User-Agent, Authorization, and Content-Type to mimic the browser environment.
Include Payload or Query Parameters: For POST or GET requests, include data or parameters extracted from the request payload or URL query string.
Send the Request and Handle Response: Use requests.get() or requests.post() methods and process the response accordingly.

A sample Python snippet that mirrors a typical API GET request is shown below:

import requests

url = "https://example.com/api/data"
headers = {
    "User-Agent": "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64)",
    "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN",
    "Accept": "application/json"
}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)

if response.status_code == 200:
    data = response.json()
    print(data)
else:
    print(f"Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}")

For POST requests with a JSON payload, you can modify the request as follows:

import requests
import json

url = "https://example.com/api/submit"
headers = {
    "User-Agent": "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64)",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
}

payload = {
    "key1": "value1",
    "key2": "value2"
}

response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, data=json.dumps(payload))

if response.status_code == 200:
    print(response.json())
else:
    print(f"Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}")

Automating API Call Capture Using Python and Browser Automation

In scenarios where API calls are triggered dynamically via JavaScript or require user interaction, using Chrome’s Developer Tools alone may not suffice. Browser automation tools like Selenium or Playwright can be used to programmatically load the webpage and capture

Expert Insights on Monitoring API Calls of Websites Using Chrome and Python

Dr. Elena Martinez (Senior Web Security Analyst, CyberTech Solutions). Monitoring API calls in Chrome while leveraging Python scripts is essential for thorough security auditing. Using Chrome’s Developer Tools Network tab combined with Python libraries like Selenium or Playwright allows for automated interception and analysis of API requests, enabling security professionals to detect anomalies and unauthorized data exchanges efficiently.

Jason Lee (Full Stack Developer and API Integration Specialist). To effectively see API calls of websites in Chrome using Python, I recommend capturing network traffic through Chrome DevTools Protocol with Python bindings. Tools such as PyChromeDevTools or CDP libraries can programmatically access and log API requests, providing developers with a scalable method to debug and test web applications beyond manual inspection.

Sophia Nguyen (Automation Engineer, Web Performance Analytics Inc.). Combining Chrome’s built-in developer tools with Python automation frameworks enhances the ability to monitor API calls dynamically. Utilizing headless Chrome controlled by Python scripts lets you simulate user interactions while capturing API endpoints, response times, and payloads, which is invaluable for performance testing and optimizing backend communication.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can I view API calls made by a website using Chrome Developer Tools?
Open Chrome, press F12 or right-click and select “Inspect” to open Developer Tools. Navigate to the “Network” tab, reload the page, and filter by “XHR” or “Fetch” to see API calls and their details.

Is it possible to capture API calls programmatically in Python from a website?
Yes, you can use libraries like Selenium to automate Chrome and intercept network traffic or employ tools like mitmproxy or browsermob-proxy to capture API requests made by the browser.

Which Python libraries help in monitoring network requests in Chrome?
Selenium with ChromeDriver supports accessing browser logs including network events. Additionally, Puppeteer (via Pyppeteer) and Playwright provide APIs to intercept and inspect network traffic.

How do I extract API request URLs and responses using Python and Chrome?
Use Selenium with Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) commands or Playwright to listen for network events. This allows you to capture request URLs, headers, and response bodies programmatically.

Can I automate API call inspection for websites that use dynamic JavaScript loading?
Yes, automation tools like Selenium or Playwright can handle dynamic content by waiting for network activity to complete, enabling you to monitor API calls triggered by JavaScript.

What are common challenges when capturing API calls from websites in Chrome using Python?
Challenges include handling authentication tokens, dealing with encrypted or obfuscated requests, managing asynchronous JavaScript calls, and ensuring the browser automation mimics real user behavior to avoid detection.
Understanding how to see API calls of websites in Chrome using Python involves leveraging Chrome’s Developer Tools alongside Python scripting to monitor and analyze network traffic. Primarily, developers use Chrome’s built-in DevTools Network tab to inspect API requests and responses in real time. To automate or extract this data programmatically, Python libraries such as Selenium or Puppeteer (via Pyppeteer) can control Chrome and capture network activity. Additionally, tools like the Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) enable more granular access to network events, allowing Python scripts to intercept and log API calls effectively.

Key takeaways include the importance of combining manual inspection with automated methods to gain comprehensive insights into a website’s API interactions. While Chrome DevTools provides an intuitive interface for immediate analysis, Python automation facilitates scalable data collection and integration into testing or monitoring workflows. Utilizing libraries like Selenium with browser logging enabled or leveraging CDP through Python clients ensures that developers can programmatically track API calls, analyze payloads, and debug web applications efficiently.

In summary, mastering the process of viewing API calls in Chrome through Python requires familiarity with both browser developer tools and Python automation frameworks. This dual approach enhances the ability to debug, test, and understand web applications by providing detailed visibility into network

Author Profile

Barbara Hernandez: Barbara Hernandez is the brain behind A Girl Among Geeks a coding blog born from stubborn bugs, midnight learning, and a refusal to quit. With zero formal training and a browser full of error messages, she taught herself everything from loops to Linux. Her mission? Make tech less intimidating, one real answer at a time.

Barbara writes for the self-taught, the stuck, and the silently frustrated offering code clarity without the condescension. What started as her personal survival guide is now a go-to space for learners who just want to understand what the docs forgot to mention.