Making Requests¶
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After reading this chapter
You can choose an HTTP method and path, then shape one request for an external API with queries, headers, and a per-request timeout.
A request builder is created when a method is selected from the client. It accumulates the request shape until a terminator asks for a response. A terminator is the final call that finishes the builder, submits the request, and selects the response form. A path starts with / and follows the base URL.
1. Methods and Paths¶
The HTTP client provides the seven methods GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, HEAD, and OPTIONS. GET reads a resource; POST starts work or creates one. C++ spells DELETE as delete_ because of its keyword.
A path that does not start with / ends with ProtocolError before a request is sent. One request keeps its base URL and path separate. Another base URL uses a separate client or a one-shot.
2. Queries, Headers, and a Timeout¶
A query accumulates names and values after URL encoding. A header applies only to that request and overrides a client default header with the same name. A per-request timeout replaces the client's default timeout only for that request.
var status = await client
.Get("/ops/nodes/game-server-1/status")
.Header("x-trace-id", "tutorial-1")
.Timeout(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5))
.Async<NodeStatus>();
// The admin route has a different base URL, so it uses a separate client.
using var adminClient = ZLinkHttpClient
.Create("http://127.0.0.1:5081")
.BasicAuth("ops", "tutorial-admin")
.Timeout(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(3))
.Build();
var weight = await adminClient
.Post("/admin/channels/profile/weight")
.Query("value", "2")
.Async<WeightResponse>();
Console.WriteLine($"request shaping: status {status.Status} weight {weight.Body.Weight}");
The code uses separate base URLs for the regular and administrative APIs, adds a per-request header, timeout, and query, then reads the status and changed weight from typed responses.
3. Values That Change Per Request¶
Request-specific credentials, trace IDs, queries, and timeouts belong on the request builder. Headers and credentials that apply to every request belong on the client. A timeout is the time boundary for one attempt, and retry applies it to each attempt. Retry and response-status rules are covered in Redirect, Retry, and Cookies and Response Rules.
Next Chapter¶
Request Bodies adds JSON, form, and multipart bodies.