Simple HTTP Request Forwarder

Common errors

• ERR_REQUIRE_ESM

  cause Attempting to import `http-forward` using ES module syntax (`import forward from 'http-forward';`) in a Node.js environment configured for ESM.
  fix This package is CommonJS-only. You must use `const forward = require('http-forward');` to import it. Alternatively, configure your project to run as CommonJS or migrate to a modern proxy library that supports ESM.

• Error: read ECONNRESET

  cause This error can occur with older Node.js modules when handling connections, especially under load or with modern client/server interactions, indicating a connection abruptly closed. It's often a symptom of incompatibility or unhandled edge cases in an unmaintained library.
  fix While specific fixes vary, common workarounds involve ensuring Node.js environment compatibility (which is hard for an ancient library) or, more reliably, migrating to a robust, actively maintained proxy solution that handles connection management more resiliently.

Warnings

• breaking The `http-forward` package is abandoned and has not been updated in over ten years. It should not be used in production environments due to potential unpatched security vulnerabilities and incompatibility with modern Node.js versions and features.
  Fix: Migrate to a maintained HTTP proxy library such as `node-http-proxy` or `http-proxy-middleware`.
• gotcha This package is CommonJS-only and relies on `require()` statements. It does not support ES Modules (`import`/`export`) or modern JavaScript bundling techniques, which can lead to compatibility issues in contemporary Node.js projects.
  Fix: Ensure your project is configured for CommonJS, or migrate to a modern proxy library that supports ESM. Consider using a CommonJS-to-ESM wrapper if absolutely necessary, but this is not recommended for an abandoned package.
• gotcha Due to its age, `http-forward` lacks support for modern web protocols like HTTP/2 and advanced proxy features such as WebSocket forwarding, SSL/TLS termination at the proxy, or sophisticated routing rules.
  Fix: For projects requiring HTTP/2, WebSocket proxying, or advanced features, use modern, actively maintained proxy libraries or dedicated proxy servers (e.g., Nginx, HAProxy, Caddy, Traefik, or Node.js alternatives like `node-http-proxy-3`).

Install

• npm install http-forward npm
• yarn add http-forward yarn
• pnpm add http-forward pnpm

Imports

• forward
  wrong:

  import forward from 'http-forward'

  correct:

  const forward = require('http-forward')

  This package is CommonJS-only and does not support ES module `import` syntax. It was published long before ESM was standardized in Node.js.

Quickstart

This example sets up a simple proxy server on port 3000 that forwards all incoming HTTP requests to a target server running on port 9000.

const http = require('http');
const forward = require('http-forward');

// A basic target server to forward requests to
const targetServer = http.createServer((req, res) => {
  console.log(`Target server received: ${req.method} ${req.url}`);
  res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
  res.end('Hello from the target server!');
});
targetServer.listen(9000, () => {
  console.log('Target server listening on port 9000');
});

// The proxy server that uses http-forward
const proxyServer = http.createServer((req, res) => {
  console.log(`Proxy server received: ${req.method} ${req.url}`);
  // Define the target for http-forward
  req.forward = { target: 'http://localhost:9000' };
  forward(req, res, (err) => {
    if (err) {
      console.error('Proxy error:', err.message);
      res.writeHead(500, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
      res.end('Proxy Error');
    }
  });
});

proxyServer.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Proxy server listening on port 3000. Try curl http://localhost:3000');
});