httpplease

0.16.4 verified Thu Apr 23 auth: no javascript abandoned

httpplease is a lightweight (under 2KB gzipped) HTTP request library designed for "isomorphic" JavaScript applications, enabling the same codebase to run in both Node.js and browser environments. It maintains a browser-driven focus, explicitly supporting older environments like IE9 for cross-domain requests via plugins. The library features a simple, yet powerful, plugin system for extending its core functionality, such as adding Promise support or handling specific browser limitations. The current stable version is 0.16.4. The package appears to be unmaintained as there haven't been new releases in a considerable time, and its GitHub repository doesn't show recent activity, suggesting a stalled development lifecycle.

Common errors

error Timeout ↓

cause The HTTP request took longer than the configured `timeout` value.

fix

Increase the timeout option in your request configuration or optimize the server response time. Example:

httpplease.get({url: 'http://example.com', timeout: 5000}, (err, res) => { if (err && err.name === 'Timeout') { console.error('Request timed out'); } });

error TypeError: httpplease is not a function ↓

cause Attempting to call `httpplease()` directly when it was imported as a named export or when a bundler's CJS-ESM interop created an object.

fix

Ensure you are importing httpplease as a default export or requiring it as the main module. If using a <script> tag, ensure the global httpplease object is correctly loaded. Example: import httpplease from 'httpplease'; httpplease({method: 'GET', url: '...'}); or const httpplease = require('httpplease'); httpplease({method: 'GET', url: '...'});

error ReferenceError: httpplease is not defined ↓

cause The `httpplease` variable is not accessible in the current scope, often when using a standalone build via a `<script>` tag and the script hasn't loaded or the variable name is incorrect.

fix

Verify that the httpplease standalone build script is correctly included in your HTML before your application code, and that no other script is overwriting the global httpplease variable.

error HTTP 404 Not Found (error callback invoked) ↓

cause The requested resource was not found on the server, and `errorOn404` is set to `true` (which is the default behavior).

fix

If 404s are expected and should not be treated as errors, set errorOn404: false in your request options. This will make the 404 response appear in the success callback (res) instead of the error callback (err).

Warnings

gotcha The library appears to be unmaintained and has not seen updates for a considerable period. This means it may not address modern web standards, security vulnerabilities, or common performance optimizations found in actively developed HTTP clients. ↓

fix Consider migrating to a modern, actively maintained HTTP client library that provides better security, performance, and feature support for contemporary JavaScript environments.

gotcha httpplease is primarily designed with CommonJS (CJS) module semantics, as indicated by its `require()` examples. While bundlers can often bridge CJS into ESM environments, direct usage in pure ESM Node.js projects might require specific configuration or the use of dynamic `import()`. ↓

fix For ESM projects, use `import httpplease from 'httpplease';` and ensure your build tools (e.g., Webpack, Rollup) are configured to handle CJS interoperability. In Node.js, if in an ESM context, consider `const httpplease = await import('httpplease');` or ensure your project's `package.json` `type` field is not set to `module` unless you explicitly configure CJS loading.

gotcha The library defaults `errorOn404` to `true`, meaning HTTP 404 (Not Found) responses will trigger the error callback/promise rejection by default. This might not be desired for all applications where 404s are expected control flow rather than errors. ↓

fix To treat 404 responses as successful non-error outcomes, set `errorOn404: false` in your request options: `httpplease.get({url: 'http://example.com/missing', errorOn404: false}, (err, res) => { /* handle 404 in res */ });`

gotcha The README mentions supporting 'old IE' (IE9) and implicitly, older browser capabilities. This focus might mean modern browser features (e.g., `fetch` API alternatives, advanced CORS headers, service worker integration) are not natively supported or optimized without additional plugins or manual intervention. ↓

fix For modern browser development, ensure you understand its underlying implementation (likely `XMLHttpRequest`) and any limitations this might impose compared to `fetch` or other contemporary solutions. Consider polyfills or other libraries for newer features.

Install

npm install httpplease

yarn add httpplease

pnpm add httpplease

Imports

httpplease
wrong
```
import { httpplease } from 'httpplease';
```
correct
```
import httpplease from 'httpplease';
```
The library primarily exports a default function. While modern bundlers might handle named imports for CJS modules, a default import is the conventional approach for consuming its main export in ESM.
httpplease
```
const httpplease = require('httpplease');
```
This is the standard CommonJS import pattern, explicitly supported for bundlers like Browserify and Webpack mentioned in the README.
httpplease
wrong
```
const { get } = require('httpplease'); get('http://example.com', ...);
```
correct
```
httpplease.get('http://example.com', ...);
```
The `get` method is a property of the main `httpplease` export, not a named export itself. Destructuring requires accessing the property after importing the main object.

Quickstart

Demonstrates a basic GET request using `httpplease.get` and shows how to create a custom instance with default options using `httpplease.defaults` for a more complex API interaction.

const httpplease = require('httpplease');

httpplease.get('http://example.com', function (err, res) {
    if (err) {
        console.error('Request failed:', err.message);
        return;
    }
    console.log('Request successful! Status:', res.status);
    console.log('Response body (truncated):', res.body ? res.body.substring(0, 100) + '...' : '[empty]');
    // Example: Using the defaults method to create a specialized instance
    const secureHttp = httpplease.defaults({
        url: 'https://api.example.com/v1',
        headers: {'X-Auth-Token': process.env.API_KEY ?? ''},
        errorOn404: false
    });

    secureHttp({ method: 'POST', body: JSON.stringify({ data: 'hello' }) }, function(err, res) {
        if (err) {
            console.error('Secure API request failed:', err.message);
            return;
        }
        console.log('Secure API response status:', res.status);
    });
});