HTTP Request

The HTTP Request node in Aisera Workflow Studio enables your automation workflows to send outbound HTTP requests to external APIs and web services. Use this node to integrate with REST APIs, fetch data from external systems, send notifications, or trigger actions in third-party applications.

The example below shows the configuration for an HTTP Node that will query the FedEx website to track real time updates to a package based on transaction id.

How to Configure the HTTP Request Node:

1. Add the node to your workflow by dragging it from the Node Palette onto the AI Workflow Studio Canvas.

2. Click the node to open the Configuration dialog.

3. Fill in the required fields:

   1. Enter the target URL.

   2. Select the HTTP method.

   3. Configure the headers (if needed).

   4. Set the timeout values.

   5. Define response variable names.

4. Test the configuration before deploying.

5. Save and connect the node to subsequent workflow steps.

Configuration Parameters

Use the following tables to learn about the required fields, optional fields, and parameters.

Required Fields

Required Field	Description	Example
URL	The endpoint URL for the HTTP request. Variables can be used in URL query parameters in the form ${varName}.	https://api.example.com/users?id=${userId}
Method	The HTTP method to use for the request.	GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH

Optional Fields

Optional Field	Description	Default	Notes
Headers	Key-value pairs for HTTP headers. Click Add Header to add multiple headers.	None	Common headers include Content-Type, Authorization, Accept
Connection Timeout in seconds	Maximum time to wait for connection establishment.	System default	Prevents indefinite waiting for unresponsive endpoints
Read Timeout in seconds	Maximum time to wait for response data after connection.	System default	Use higher values for slow APIs
Write Timeout in seconds	Maximum time allowed for sending request data.	System default	Important for large payloads
Response	Variable name to store the response body.	None	Access later in workflow using ${responseName}
Status	Variable name to store the HTTP status code.	None	Used for conditional logic (fore exampld, check if equals 200)
Response Headers	Variable name to store response headers.	None	Useful for extracting metadata from responses
Node Description	Custom description for this node instance.	None	Helps document your workflow logic

Using Variables

The HTTP Request node supports dynamic values using the ${varName} syntax[1].

URL Parameters

https://api.example.com/users?userId=${userId}&action=${actionType}

Request Body

When using POST or PUT methods, you can include variables in the request body:

{
  "name": "${userName}",
  "email": "${userEmail}",
  "status": "active"
}

Common Use Cases

Review the use cases below to get an idea of what your HTTP call needs to contain.

Example 1: Fetching User Data (GET Request)

Configuration:

• URL: https://api.crm.com/users/${userId}

• Method: GET

• Headers:

• Name: Authorization

• Value: Bearer ${apiToken}

• Response: userData

• Status: httpStatus

Usage in workflow: Access the response with ${userData} in subsequent nodes[1].

Example 2: Creating a New Record (POST Request)

Configuration:

• URL: https://api.example.com/tickets

• Method: POST

• Headers:

• Name: Content-Type

• Value: application/json

• Name: Authorization

• Value: Bearer ${apiToken}

• Request Body:

{
  "title": "${ticketTitle}",
  "description": "${ticketDescription}",
  "priority": "high"
}

• Response: createTicketResponse

• Status: createStatus

Example 3: Updating Data (PUT Request)

Configuration:

• URL: https://api.example.com/users/${userId}

• Method: PUT

• Headers:

• Name: Content-Type

• Value: application/json

• Connection Timeout: 10

• Read Timeout: 30

HTTP Methods Reference

The Aisera Gen AI platform supports the following HTTP calls.

Method	Purpose	Has Body
GET	Retrieve data from a server	No
POST	Create new resources	Yes
PUT	Update existing resources (full replacement)	Yes
PATCH	Partial update of resources	Yes
DELETE	Remove resources	Optional

Headers Configuration

The following table contains commonly used headers:

Hearder Name	Purpose	Example
Content-Type	Specify request body format	application/json
Authorization	Authenticate with API	Bearer ${token} or Basic ${credentials}
Accept	Specify desired response format	application/json
User-Agent	Identify the client	AiseraWorkflow/1.0
X-API-Key	API key authentication	${apiKey}

To add multiple headers, click the "Add Header" button and enter each key-value pair.

Timeout Configuration

The following timeout configurations are supported.

Connection Timeout

Time allowed to establish a connection with the server. If the server doesn't respond within this time, the request fails.

Recommended: 5-10 seconds for most APIs.

Read Timeout

Time allowed to read the response after connection is established. Set higher values for APIs that perform complex processing.

Recommended: 30-60 seconds for standard APIs, up to 120 seconds for slow endpoints.

Write Timeout

Time allowed to send the request body to the server. Important when sending large payloads.

Recommended: 30-60 seconds for standard requests.

Working with Responses

After the HTTP Request node executes, you can access the stored response in subsequent nodes:

• Response Body: ${responseName} - Contains the full response data

• Status Code: ${statusName} - HTTP status code (e.g., 200, 404, 500)

• Response Headers: ${responseHeadersName} - All headers returned by the server

Example: Conditional Logic Based on Status

Use the stored status code in a Decision node:

If ${httpStatus} equals 200, proceed with success path

If ${httpStatus} equals 404, handle "not found" scenario

If ${httpStatus} equals 500, handle error

Error Handling and Troubleshooting

The following sections include Return Status Codes, Troubleshooting Tips, and Best Practices.

Common HTTP Status Codes

Status Code	Meaning	What to Check
200 OK	Request succeeded	Continue with workflow
201 Created	Resource created successfully	Verify response contains new resource ID
400 Bad Request	Invalid request format	Check request body syntax and required fields
401 Unauthorized	Authentication failed	Verify Authorization header and credentials
403 Forbidden	No permission to access	Check API permissions and access rights
404 Not Found	Resource doesn't exist	Verify URL and resource ID
429 Too Many Requests	Rate limit exceeded	Implement retry logic with delays
500 Internal Server Error	Server-side error	Contact API provider or retry later
503 Service Unavailable	Service temporarily down	Implement retry logic

Troubleshooting Tips

1. Connection Timeout Errors

2. Check if the URL is correct and accessible

3. Verify network connectivity

4. Increase connection timeout value

5. Read Timeout Errors

6. The API may be processing slowly

7. Increase read timeout value

8. Check API status/performance

9. Authentication Failures (401/403)

10. Verify Authorization header is properly formatted

11. Check if API token/key is valid and not expired

12. Ensure proper variable substitution: ${tokenVar}

13. Bad Request Errors (400)

14. Validate JSON syntax in request body

15. Verify all required fields are included

16. Check data types match API requirements

17. Variable Not Substituting

18. Ensure variable name matches exactly: ${varName}

19. Verify the variable exists in workflow context

20. Check variable is set before HTTP Request node executes

Best Practices

1. Use Descriptive Variable Names: Name response variables clearly (for example, userDataResponse, createTicketStatus).

2. Always Capture Status Codes: Store the status code to implement proper error handling logic.

3. Set Appropriate Timeouts: Don't use excessively long timeouts; they can slow down your workflow.

4. Secure Credentials: Use workflow variables or secrets management for API keys and tokens, never hardcode them.

5. Test Endpoints First: Use tools like Postman or curl to verify the API works before configuring in the workflow.

6. Add Node Descriptions: Document what each HTTP Request node does using the Node Description field for future reference.

7. Handle Errors Gracefully: Always add error handling logic after HTTP Request nodes to manage failures.

8. Use Content-Type Headers: Always specify Content-Type: application/json when sending JSON payloads.

Advanced Configuration

Dynamic URLs with Multiple Variables

https://api.example.com/${version}/users/${userId}/orders/${orderId}

Passing Arrays in Query Parameters

https://api.example.com/search?tags=${tag1}&tags=${tag2}&tags=${tag3}

Working with Response Arrays

If the API returns an array, you can iterate over it using a Loop node in your workflow after the HTTP Request.

Related Workflow Nodes

• Decision Node: Use to check HTTP status codes and branch workflow logic

• Loop Node: Iterate over array responses from APIs

• JSON Parser Node: Parse and extract specific fields from JSON responses

• Error Handler Node: Catch and handle HTTP request failures

---