---
title: HTTP Actions
description: Standard library HTTP actions for making web requests
---

## send_http_request

`std::send_http_request` makes an HTTP request to the given URL and exports the
response.

### Inputs

| Name             | Required | Type    | Description                                                       |
| ---------------- | -------- | ------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `url`            | required | string  | The URL for the request. Supported schemes are http and https     |
| `body`           | optional | string  | The request body as a string or json object                       |
| `method`         | optional | string  | The HTTP Method for the request. Allowed methods: GET, HEAD, POST |
| `timeout_ms`     | optional | integer | The request timeout in milliseconds                               |
| `headers`        | optional | object  | A map of request header field names and values                    |
| `pre_condition`  | optional | map     | Pre-conditions that are evaluated before a command is executed    |
| `post_condition` | optional | map     | Post-conditions that are evaluated after a command is executed    |

### Pre-conditions

Pre-conditions are assertions that are evaluated before a command is executed.
They can be used to determine if the command should be executed or if a specific
behavior should be executed based on the result of the assertion.

| Property    | Description                                                                                         |
| ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `behavior`  | The behavior if the pre-condition assertion does not pass. Options: `halt` (default), `log`, `skip` |
| `assertion` | The assertion to check. Should evaluate to a boolean or use `std::assert_eq` and similar functions  |

### Post-conditions

Post-conditions are assertions that are evaluated after a command is executed.
They can be used to determine if the command should be re-executed.

| Property     | Description                                                                                                      |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `retries`    | Number of times to re-execute the command if assertion fails. Default: 0                                         |
| `backoff_ms` | Milliseconds to wait before re-executing. Default: 1000                                                          |
| `behavior`   | The behavior if the post-condition assertion does not pass. Options: `halt` (default), `log`, `skip`, `continue` |
| `assertion`  | The assertion to check                                                                                           |

### Outputs

When the `send_http_request` action is successfully executed, the following
outputs are attached to the action:

| Name            | Type    | Description                            |
| --------------- | ------- | -------------------------------------- |
| `response_body` | string  | The response body returned as a string |
| `status_code`   | integer | The HTTP response status code          |

### Example

```hcl
action "example" "std::send_http_request" {
  url = "https://example.com"
}

output "status" {
  value = action.example.status_code
}
// > status: 200
```

### POST Request Example

```hcl
action "create_resource" "std::send_http_request" {
    description = "Create a new resource"
    url = "https://api.example.com/resources"
    method = "POST"
    headers = {
        "Content-Type" = "application/json"
    }
    body = {
        "name" = variable.name,
        "value" = variable.value
    }
}
```

### Request with Authentication

```hcl
action "api_call" "std::send_http_request" {
    description = "Fetch data from API"
    url = "https://api.example.com/data"
    method = "GET"
    headers = {
        "Authorization" = "Bearer ${variable.token}"
    }
}

output "response" {
    value = action.api_call.response_body
}

output "status" {
    value = action.api_call.status_code
}
```