Get a JSON via HTTP request in NodeJS

Question

Here is my model with a JSON response:

exports.getUser = function(req, res, callback) {
    User.find(req.body, function (err, data) {
        if (err) {
            res.json(err.errors);
        } else {
            res.json(data);
        }
   });
};

Here I get it via http.request. Why do I receive (data) a string and not a JSON?

 var options = {
  hostname: '127.0.0.1'
  ,port: app.get('port')
  ,path: '/users'
  ,method: 'GET'
  ,headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }
};

var req = http.request(options, function(res) {
  res.setEncoding('utf8');
  res.on('data', function (data) {
       console.log(data); // I can't parse it because, it's a string. why?
  });
});
reqA.on('error', function(e) {
  console.log('problem with request: ' + e.message);
});
reqA.end();

How can I get a JSON?

JSON is a serialization. It's only JSON if it's in a string, or otherwise not-yet-parsed as JavaScript. Are you looking for `JSON.parse()`? — Matt Ball, Jul 23 '13 at 13:42
I thought the `data` event was called multiple times each time with an argument that is a chunk of the string data. Wouldn't it be quite likely that the `data` returned in that event be broken JSON because it's only a fraction of the total document? I think you need to buffer the data and then use `JSON.parse()` in your `end` event. — Sukima, Sep 17 '14 at 02:01
You're right, it sends in chunks , so the best way is create a Buffer array and push it there — jeveloper, Jul 30 '15 at 00:58

score 88 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

88

http sends/receives data as strings... this is just the way things are. You are looking to parse the string as json.

var jsonObject = JSON.parse(data);

How to parse JSON using Node.js?

edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

Community

1
1

answered Jul 23 '13 at 13:43

MobA11y

18,425
3
49
76

score 75 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 11 '15 at 03:35

75

Just tell request that you are using json:true and forget about header and parse

var options = {
    hostname: '127.0.0.1',
    port: app.get('port'),
    path: '/users',
    method: 'GET',
    json:true
}
request(options, function(error, response, body){
    if(error) console.log(error);
    else console.log(body);
});

and the same for post

var options = {
    hostname: '127.0.0.1',
    port: app.get('port'),
    path: '/users',
    method: 'POST',
    json: {"name":"John", "lastname":"Doe"}
}
request(options, function(error, response, body){
    if(error) console.log(error);
    else console.log(body);
});

answered Nov 11 '15 at 03:35

dpineda

2,401
27
25

1

I knew that request was able to give a JSON body but the documentation really wasn't clear on that part! Saves doing a redundant parse. I also get the feeling you can do `response.toJSON()` – Chris Watts Nov 25 '15 at 03:18
12

This does not work for `http.request`, rather [request](https://www.npmjs.com/package/request). – arve0 Oct 10 '17 at 18:32

score 25 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 01 '21 at 16:44

25

Just setting json option to true, the body will contain the parsed JSON:

request({
  url: 'http://...',
  json: true
}, function(error, response, body) {
  console.log(body);
});

edited Apr 01 '21 at 16:44

Syscall

19,327
10
37
52

answered Sep 18 '17 at 19:37

José Antonio Postigo

2,674
24
17

1

this doesn't work for me. It must be for [request lib](https://npmjs.com/request), not `http.request` – Steven Vachon Jul 28 '21 at 15:46

Get a JSON via HTTP request in NodeJS

3 Answers3

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