Client#

Vapor’s client API allows you to make HTTP calls to external resources. It is built on async-http-client and integrates with the content API.

Overview#

You can get access to the default client via Application or in a route handler via Request.

app.client // Client

app.get("test") { req in
    req.client // Client
}

The application’s client is useful for making HTTP requests during configuration time. If you are making HTTP requests in a route handler, always use the request’s client.

Methods#

To make a GET request, pass the desired URL to the get convenience method.

let response = try await req.client.get("https://httpbin.org/status/200")

There are methods for each of the HTTP verbs like get, post, and delete. The client’s response is returned as a future and contains the HTTP status, headers, and body.

Content#

Vapor’s content API is available for handling data in client requests and responses. To encode content, query parameters or add headers to the request, use the beforeSend closure.

let response = try await req.client.post("https://httpbin.org/status/200") { req in
    // Encode query string to the request URL.
    try req.query.encode(["q": "test"])

    // Encode JSON to the request body.
    try req.content.encode(["hello": "world"])
    
    // Add auth header to the request
    let auth = BasicAuthorization(username: "something", password: "somethingelse")
    req.headers.basicAuthorization = auth
}
// Handle the response.

You can also decode the response body using Content in a similar way:

let response = try await req.client.get("https://httpbin.org/json")
let json = try response.content.decode(MyJSONResponse.self)

If you’re using futures you can use flatMapThrowing:

return req.client.get("https://httpbin.org/json").flatMapThrowing { res in
    try res.content.decode(MyJSONResponse.self)
}.flatMap { json in
    // Use JSON here
}

Configuration#

You can configure the underlying HTTP client via the application.

// Disable automatic redirect following.
app.http.client.configuration.redirectConfiguration = .disallow

Note that you must configure the default client before using it for the first time.