The Refinitiv Data Library for Python provides a set of ease-of-use interfaces offering your applications a uniform access to the breadth and depth of financial data and services available on the Refinitiv Data Platform.

With this library, the same Python code can be used to retrieve data whatever the access point you choose to connect your application to the Refinitiv Data Platform. It can be either via a direct connection, via Eikon, via Refinitiv Workspace, via CodeBook or even via a local Real-Time Distribution System.

The library provides several abstraction layers enabling different programming styles and technics suitable for all developers from Financial Coders to Seasoned Developers:

Using the Access layer is the easiest way to get Refinitiv data. The Access layer provides simple interfaces allowing you to rapidly prototype solutions within interactive environments such as Jupyter Notebooks. It has been designed for quick experimentation with our data and for Financial Coders specific needs.
The Content layer is the basement of the Access layer. It provides developers with interfaces suitable for more advanced use cases (synchronous function calls, async/await, event driven). The Content layer refers to logical market data objects like market data prices and quotes, fundamental & reference data, historical data, company research data and so on.
The Delivery layer is a low abstraction layer that defines interfaces used to interact with service agnostic delivery mechanisms of the Refinitiv Data Platform. The Delivery layer is a foundational component of the Content layer.
The Session layer defines interfaces allowing your application to connect to the Refinitiv Data Platform via different access points (either via a direct connection, via Eikon, via the Refinitiv Workspace, via CodeBook or even via a local Real-Time Distribution System).