HTTP request · Blokboard

HTTP request calls a web API and returns its response. Start with a GET request that reads data before adding authentication or a request that changes remote data.

Try it step by step#

Choose GET and enter an API URL you can access. Select JSON for a JSON endpoint; use Text when you want the response as text.
Run once and inspect status, ok, and body. These are separate fields: the API’s returned data is inside body.
If the API returns {"items":[{"name":"Notebook"}]}, set Iterate’s Items to {{httpRequest.output.body.items}} using the actual HTTP scope from the picker.

What to expect#

A successful JSON response might include status: 200, ok: true, and body: {"items":[{"name":"Notebook"}]}. This is an illustrative response shape; your endpoint determines the body.

Things to check#

Query parameters go in the URL; a JSON body is sent as request content. Match the API’s documented method and fields.
For private APIs, select Authentication and a saved HTTP credential. Literal headers and workflow values are saved with the workflow.
Browser CORS rules may prevent access even when the URL works elsewhere. Try the Desktop runtime for APIs that do not allow browser requests.
A non-2xx response fails this node. On failure: Continue ends this path; it does not turn the error into a response on out.

Keep learning#

Parameters#

Setting	Default	What it does
Method	`GET`	HTTP operation required by the API. Start with GET for a read request.
URL	`(empty)`	Runs in the browser when possible. APIs that block browser CORS may require Blokboard Desktop.
Query parameters	`[]`	Named values added to the request URL as query parameters.
Authentication	`none`	Credential scheme required by the API. Choose a saved credential for private requests.
HTTP credential	`(empty)`	Stored encrypted in the Web Vault and resolved only while this node runs.
Username	`(empty)`	Username sent with the password from the selected HTTP credential.
API key location	`header`	Send the saved API key in a header or URL query parameter as required by the API.
API key name	`x-api-key`	Name of the header or query parameter that carries the API key.
Headers	`[]`	Literal values are saved with the workflow. Use Authentication for encrypted credentials.
Body	`none`	Request body format. GET and HEAD cannot send a body.
JSON body	`(empty)`	Use an exact expression such as {{request_body}} to send an object or array directly.
Text body	`(empty)`	Text sent as the request body when Body is Text.
Form fields	`[]`	Named fields encoded as application/x-www-form-urlencoded request content.
Timeout (ms)	`30000`	Set to 0 to wait until the workflow is stopped.
Response body	`auto`	Parse the response as JSON or text, or select automatically from its content type.
Maximum response (bytes)	`10485760`	Stops reading when the response exceeds this limit.
On failure	`stop`	Choose whether a failed execution stops the workflow or only ends this path.
Retry attempts	`0`	How many additional attempts to make after the first failure.

Method: Choices: GET (GET), POST (POST), PUT (PUT), PATCH (PATCH), DELETE (DELETE), HEAD (HEAD), OPTIONS (OPTIONS).

Authentication: Choices: None (none), Bearer token (bearer), Basic auth (basic), API key (apiKey).

HTTP credential: Shown when authentication is not none. Select your own http connection. See connection setup.

Username: Shown when authentication is basic.

API key location: Choices: Header (header), Query parameter (query). Shown when authentication is apiKey.

API key name: Shown when authentication is apiKey.

Body: Choices: None (none), JSON (json), Text (text), Form URL encoded (form).

JSON body: Shown when bodyType is json.

Text body: Shown when bodyType is text.

Form fields: Shown when bodyType is form.

Timeout (ms): Available under More options. Limits: minimum 0.

Response body: Choices: Auto detect (auto), JSON (json), Text (text). Available under More options.

Maximum response (bytes): Available under More options. Limits: minimum 1; maximum 104857600.

On failure: Choices: Stop workflow (stop), Continue (continue). Available under More options.

Retry attempts: Available under More options. Limits: minimum 0.

Inputs#

Port	Value	Description
`in`	any	Optional workflow data available to parameter expressions.

Outputs#

Port	Value	Description
`out`	object	HTTP status, response headers, and parsed response body.

out fields#

Field	Type	Description
`status`	number	HTTP response status code.
`statusText`	string	HTTP response status text.
`ok`	boolean	Whether the response status is between 200 and 299.
`headers`	object	Response headers keyed by lowercase name.
`body`	unknown	Parsed JSON or text response body.
`durationMs`	number	Elapsed request time in milliseconds.