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HTTP Request

Beta

This Node is in Beta and may change.

The HTTP Node sends HTTP requests to external APIs and web services, storing the response in a Variable for further processing in your Flow.

Basic Configuration​

  • HTTP Method: Choose the request method (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE) based on the API requirements.
  • URL: Enter the full API endpoint URL, including query parameters if needed (e.g., https://api.example.com/v1/items?limit=10))
    • The URL must be reachable by the Robot CU where RobFlow is running.
  • Response Variable: Select a String Variable to store the HTTP response body in.
  • Response processing: Optionally extract specific data from JSON responses using bracket notation.

Authentication​

The HTTP Node supports multiple authentication methods for secure API access:

  • None: No authentication (for public APIs).
  • Basic Auth: Provide username and password for HTTP Basic Authentication.
  • Bearer Token: Enter an API token or JWT for Bearer token authentication.

Request Body (POST/PUT/PATCH)​

For POST, PUT, and PATCH requests, you can specify the Content-Type and the content of the request:

  • Content-Type: Select the format of your request data (JSON, XML, plain text, or form data).
  • Content: Enter the request body, typically in JSON format (e.g., {"name": "Item1", "quantity": 5}).

Response processing​

You can optionally store the HTTP response in a Variable. This allows you to process the data further in your Flow. Also you can narrow down what you actually store in the Variable by specifying a specific part of the JSON response using bracket notation.

Example: apiResponse["items"][0]["name"]​

  • apiResponse: The Variable to store the HTTP response in (should match the previously selected Response Variable)
  • ["items"]: First key in the JSON response object
  • [0]: First entry in the "items" array
  • ["name"]: The name field in the array object

Advanced Settings​

  • Accept Type: Specify the expected response format (JSON, XML, HTML, plain text, or any).
  • Timeout: Set the maximum time (0.1-30 seconds) to wait for a response before the request fails.
  • Retries: Configure automatic retry attempts (0-10) with exponential backoff for failed requests.

Example Usage​

Fetching data from an API

  • Method: GET
  • URL: https://api.example.com/items
  • Response Variable: apiResponse
  • Response processing: apiResponse["items"][0]["name"] (Stores the name of the first item from the response in the selected Variable)

Sending data to an API

  • Method: POST
  • URL: https://api.example.com/items
  • Authentication: Bearer Token
  • Content-Type: application/json
  • Content: {"name": "NewItem", "quantity": 10}
  • Response Variable (optional): createResponse

Tips​

  • Test your API endpoint in a tool like Postman before configuring the HTTP Node.
  • Use Response processing to extract only the data you need, reducing Variable size.
  • Configure retries with appropriate timeout values to handle temporary issues in the API.
  • The HTTP response status code (e.g., 200, 404) is displayed above the Node during execution.
  • If authentication fails or the API is unreachable, the Node will pause the Flow and display an error.

ERP Integration​

SAP​

The HTTP Node can be used to send requests to SAP (S/4HANA) systems which expose an HTTP API.

Requirements:

  • Customer must have configured SAP Gateway (Or similar) to expose an OData(HTTP) API to their SAP system.
    • This API endpoint must be reachable by the Robot CU where RobFlow is running.