httpfulvsmechanize
Httpful is a simple Http Client library for PHP 7.2+. There is an emphasis of readability, simplicity, and flexibility – basically provide the features and flexibility to get the job done and make those features really easy to use.
Features
- Readable HTTP Method Support (GET, PUT, POST, DELETE, HEAD, PATCH and OPTIONS)
- Custom Headers
- Automatic "Smart" Parsing
- Automatic Payload Serialization
- Basic Auth
- Client Side Certificate Auth
- Request "Templates"
Mechanize is a Ruby library for automating interaction with websites. It automatically stores and sends cookies, follows redirects, and can submit forms — making it behave like a web browser without needing an actual browser engine.
Key features include:
- Automatic cookie management Stores cookies received from servers and sends them back on subsequent requests, maintaining session state across multiple pages.
- Form handling Can find, fill in, and submit HTML forms programmatically. Supports text inputs, selects, checkboxes, radio buttons, and file uploads.
- Link following Navigate through pages by clicking links using their text content, CSS selectors, or href patterns.
- History and back/forward Maintains a browsing history, allowing you to go back and forward through visited pages.
- HTTP authentication Supports basic and digest HTTP authentication.
- Proxy support Can route requests through HTTP proxies.
- Redirect handling Automatically follows HTTP redirects (configurable).
Mechanize is one of the oldest and most established web interaction libraries in Ruby. It is best suited for scraping traditional server-rendered websites with forms and multi-page workflows. For JavaScript-heavy sites, a browser automation tool like Selenium or Playwright is recommended instead.