HTTP vs DIO package in Flutter for API calls

CR Poudyal
2 min readDec 19, 2022

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In Flutter, the dio package is a popular third-party library for making HTTP requests. It is a powerful and flexible library that provides many features for handling HTTP requests and responses.

On the other hand, Flutter also provides a built-in http package for making HTTP requests. The http package is a simple and lightweight library that allows you to make HTTP requests and handle responses.

Both dio and http can be used to make HTTP requests in Flutter, and the choice between them will depend on your specific requirements and preferences. Here are some factors to consider when deciding which one to use:

  • Features: dio provides a wide range of features for handling HTTP requests and responses, such as support for interceptors, request and response transformations, automatic retries, and more. The http package, on the other hand, is a simpler and more lightweight library that only provides basic functionality for making HTTP requests and handling responses.
  • Customization: dio allows you to customize and extend its functionality through the use of interceptors and request and response transformations. The http package, on the other hand, provides less customization options.
  • Performance: dio is generally faster and more efficient than the http package, due to its use of dart:io under the hood and its support for asynchronous and parallel requests.

Ultimately, the choice between dio and http will depend on your specific requirements and the complexity of your project. If you need a powerful and feature-rich library for making HTTP requests and handling responses, dio may be the better choice. If you only need basic functionality and want a simple and lightweight solution, the http package may be sufficient.

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