RVS HTTP Request

Makes an HTTP request and returns the response data

Overview

The RVS HTTP Request node allows users to make customizable HTTP requests to any URL and retrieve the response data. It supports all common HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, HEAD, OPTIONS) and offers extensive options for configuring query parameters, headers, request body content, authentication, and response handling.

This node is beneficial in scenarios where you need to interact with external APIs or web services that are not covered by pre-built integrations. For example:

  • Calling a REST API endpoint with custom headers and query parameters.
  • Uploading files or sending JSON payloads to a web service.
  • Downloading files or fetching data from URLs.
  • Handling OAuth1/OAuth2 authenticated requests or basic/digest auth.
  • Processing binary data uploads or downloads.

Practical examples include:

  • Sending a POST request with JSON body to create a resource on a third-party service.
  • Fetching paginated data via GET requests with query parameters.
  • Uploading images as multipart form-data.
  • Downloading a file and saving it as binary data in n8n.

Properties

Name Meaning
Method The HTTP method to use for the request. Options: DELETE, GET, HEAD, OPTIONS, PATCH, POST, PUT.
URL The target URL to which the HTTP request will be sent. Required field.
Authentication Type of authentication to use: None, Predefined Credential Type (built-in auth for many services), Generic Credential Type (customizable like basic, header, OAuth2, etc.).
Credential Type Select credential for predefined authentication (shown only if "Predefined Credential Type" selected).
Generic Auth Type Select credential for generic/custom authentication (shown only if "Generic Credential Type" selected).
Send Query Parameters Boolean to specify if query parameters should be sent with the request.
Specify Query Parameters How to specify query parameters: Using Fields Below (key-value pairs) or Using JSON.
Query Parameters Key-value pairs for query parameters (shown if "Using Fields Below" selected).
JSON Query JSON string representing query parameters (shown if "Using JSON" selected).
Send Headers Boolean to specify if headers should be sent with the request.
Specify Headers How to specify headers: Using Fields Below (key-value pairs) or Using JSON.
Header Parameters Key-value pairs for headers (shown if "Using Fields Below" selected).
JSON Headers JSON string representing headers (shown if "Using JSON" selected).
Send Body Boolean to specify if a request body should be sent.
Body Content Type Content-Type of the request body. Options: Form Urlencoded, Form-Data (multipart), JSON, n8n Binary Data, Raw.
Specify Body How to specify body content (for JSON content type): Using Fields Below (key-value pairs) or Using JSON.
Body Parameters Key-value pairs for body parameters (shown if "Using Fields Below" selected). Supports special handling for binary data in multipart form-data.
JSON Body JSON string representing body parameters (shown if "Using JSON" selected).
Body Raw string body content (used for raw content type or form-urlencoded single field).
Input Data Field Name Name of the incoming binary data field to send as body (used for binary data content type or multipart form-data binary fields).
Content Type (Raw) Content-Type header value for raw body content.
Options Additional options including batching (items per batch and interval), ignoring SSL issues, array format in query parameters, redirects (follow and max redirects), response handling (full response, never error, response format), proxy, and timeout.
Proxy HTTP proxy URL to route the request through.
Timeout Time in milliseconds to wait for server response before aborting. Default is 10000 ms (10 seconds).

Output

The node outputs an array of items corresponding to each input item processed. Each output item contains:

  • json: The parsed response data from the HTTP request. This can be:

    • The response body parsed as JSON (if response format is JSON).
    • A text string (if response format is Text).
    • An object containing full response details (body, headers, statusCode, statusMessage) if "Include Response Headers and Status" is enabled.
    • Multiple items if the response is an array.

  • binary (optional): If the response is a file or binary data, the node outputs the binary content under a user-defined property name (default "data"). This allows further processing or saving of downloaded files.

The node also supports returning errors per item if "Continue On Fail" is enabled, wrapping error details inside the json.error field.

Dependencies

  • No external dependencies beyond standard HTTP request libraries bundled with n8n.
  • Supports various authentication mechanisms requiring credentials configured in n8n (e.g., OAuth1, OAuth2, Basic Auth).
  • Requires proper configuration of credentials when using authentication.
  • Optional proxy support requires a valid proxy URL.
  • SSL certificate validation can be disabled via option but may expose security risks.

Troubleshooting

  • Invalid JSON in Response:
    Error message: Response body is not valid JSON. Change "Response Format" to "Text"
    Cause: The node tried to parse a non-JSON response as JSON.
    Solution: Change the "Response Format" property to "Text" or "File" depending on expected response.

  • Invalid JSON Parameter Input:
    Error message: JSON parameter need to be an valid JSON
    Cause: The JSON string provided for query, headers, or body parameters is malformed.
    Solution: Validate and correct the JSON syntax.

  • Missing Binary Data Field:
    Error message: Input Data Field Name '...' could not be found in input
    Cause: Specified binary data field does not exist in the incoming data.
    Solution: Verify the field name matches the incoming binary data field.

  • Timeouts:
    Requests may fail if the server does not respond within the configured timeout (default 10 seconds). Increase the timeout if needed.

  • SSL Certificate Issues:
    If connecting to servers with invalid SSL certificates, enable "Ignore SSL Issues" option to bypass validation.

  • Authentication Errors:
    Ensure credentials are correctly configured and selected according to the chosen authentication type.

Links and References

This summary is based solely on static analysis of the provided source code and property definitions.

Discussion