---
schema_version: "1"
id: 77b4b7c03fb0c447cef50a56e1f85f473b2c8d4b59b75483d1e78ba204204243
title: Configure HTTP Request Operation
collection: mulesoft
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locale: en-us
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canonical_url: https://docs.mulesoft.com/http-connector/1.10/http-request-ref
source_site: docs.mulesoft.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 6681d6f896e8bee8a6d3f9144760c7748b8d5791d66e1df7f22590db8b273cc1
description: MuleSoft Documentation Site
release: "1.10"
latest: false
---
# Configure HTTP Request Operation

The Anypoint Connector for HTTP (HTTP Connector) **Request** operation enables you to consume an external HTTP service using the default `GET` method. Otherwise, you can choose what methods the operation accepts:

- The `GET` and `OPTIONS` methods do not send the payload in the request (the body of the HTTP request is empty).
- The `CONNECT`, `DELETE`, `PATCH`, `POST`, and `PUT` methods send the message payload as the body of the HTTP request.

After the HTTP **Request** operation sends an HTTP request, the connector receives an HTTP response and passes it to the next element in the Mule app’s flow. The HTTP response indicates success or failure, using a variety of status codes. You can also customize how the operation generates HTTP responses in the connector operation global configuration.

By default, the operation sends the Mule message payload as the HTTP request body but you can customize it using a DataWeave script or expression. In addition to the body of the request, you can configure:

- Request and response size limits
- Headers
- Query parameters
- URI parameters
- A map of multiple headers or parameters

## [](#configure-http-request-connection)Configure HTTP Request Connection

To use an HTTP **Request** operation, you must set a request global configuration with a connection provider to a host URI, which can include a path. You can additionally configure a receiving port and a communication protocol.

- **Host**  
    Indicates where the requests are sent. Additionally, it can be a host name or an IP.
- **Port**  
    Indicates where the requests are sent.
- **Protocol**  
    Indicates the protocol for communication, either HTTP for standard connections or HTTPS for TLS secure connections.

To enable secure connections through HTTPS, you must define a TLS configuration context in the connection and provide:

- A keystore for the server
- A truststore if you need two-way authentication

To learn about TLS configuration, refer to the [Configure TLS with Keystores and Truststores](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/tls-configuration) documentation.

Additionally, you can configure the **Authentication** field with the following types:

- **Basic authentication**
- **Digest authentication**
- **Ntlm authentication** (NT LAN Manager)

To learn about authentication types and examples, refer to the [Configure Authentication for HTTP Requests](https://docs.mulesoft.com/http-connector/1.10/http-authentication) documentation.

The following example shows how to configure the HTTP **Request** connection in Studio:

1. In the **Mule Palette** view, select **HTTP > Request**.
2. Drag **Request** to the Studio canvas.
3. Click the plus sign (**+**) next to the **Connector configuration** field to configure a global element that can be used by all instances of HTTP **Request** in the app.
4. Set **Host** to `localhost` and **Port** to `8081`:

![HTTP Request global configuration window with Host field set to localhost and Port field to 8081](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-1.png)

1. Set **TLS configuration** to **Edit inline**.
2. In the **Trust Store Configuration** section, set **Path** to `keystore.jks` and **Password** to `Mypassword`:

![Trust Store Configuration window with Path field set to keystore.jks and Password field to Mypassword](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-2.png)

1. Set **Authentication** to **Basic authentication**.
2. Set **Username** to `testuser` and **Password** to `Mypassword`.

![Authentication field set to Basic authentication and User field set to testuser and Password field to Mypassword](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-3.png)

1. Click **OK**.
2. In the HTTP **Request** configuration screen, set **Path** to `/testpath`:

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `host`, `port`, `path`, `trust-store`, and `authentication` configurations look like this example:

```xml
<http:request-config name="HTTP_Request_configuration">
		<http:request-connection host="localhost" port="8081">
			<tls:context >
				<tls:trust-store path="keystore.jks" password="Mypassword" />
			</tls:context>
			<http:authentication >
				<http:basic-authentication username="testuser" password="Mypassword" />
			</http:authentication>
		</http:request-connection>
	</http:request-config>
  <flow name="httplistenerresponseFlow1" >
  <http:request method="GET" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="/testpath"/>
</flow>
```

## [](#configure-http-request-and-response-size-limits)Configure HTTP Request and Response Size Limits

By default, Mule defines maximum values for the HTTP request size, response size, and request/response header size. However, you can change these values by modifying the following properties in the `wrapper.conf` file:

<table class="tableblock frame-all grid-all fit-content spread">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="tableblock halign-left valign-top">Name</th>
<th class="tableblock halign-left valign-top">Property</th>
<th class="tableblock halign-left valign-top">Description</th>
<th class="tableblock halign-left valign-top">Default Value (in bytes)</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Request Header Size</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>mule.http.headerSectionSize</code></p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Maximum size in bytes accepted for the HTTP request header section (request line + headers)</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>8192</code></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Response Header Size</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>mule.http.client.headerSectionSize</code></p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Maximum size in bytes accepted for the HTTP response header section (response line + headers)</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>8192</code></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Request Size</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>org.glassfish.grizzly.nio.transport.TCPNIOTransport.max-receive-buffer-size</code></p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Maximum size of the receive buffer that controls the number of unread bytes to hold and reflects the maximum number of unacknowledged bytes to send.</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>1048576</code> (1MB)</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Response Size</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>org.glassfish.grizzly.nio.transport.TCPNIOTransport.max-send-buffer-size</code></p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Maximum size of the send buffer that controls the outgoing packages until there is an acknowledgment from the receiving systems.</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>1048576</code> (1MB)</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

You can also change the maximum values for the server response headers, server request headers, and client request headers by modifying the following system properties in the `wrapper.conf` file:

<table class="tableblock frame-all grid-all fit-content spread">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="tableblock halign-left valign-top">Name</th>
<th class="tableblock halign-left valign-top">Property</th>
<th class="tableblock halign-left valign-top">Description</th>
<th class="tableblock halign-left valign-top">Default Value</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Server Response Headers</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>mule.http.MAX_SERVER_RESPONSE_HEADERS</code></p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Maximum amount of headers allowed on a response sent from the HTTP server.</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>100</code></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Server Request Headers</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>mule.http.MAX_SERVER_REQUEST_HEADERS</code></p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Maximum amount of headers allowed on a request sent to the HTTP server.</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>100</code></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Client Request Headers</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>mule.http.MAX_CLIENT_REQUEST_HEADERS</code></p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock">Maximum amount of headers allowed on a request sent by the HTTP client.</p></td>
<td class="tableblock halign-left valign-top"><p class="tableblock"><code>100</code></p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

There is no such Max Client Response Header system property as there is no maximum limit for client HTTP response headers.

To learn more about how to set system properties in the `wrapper.conf` file, refer to the [Set System Properties in the wrapper.conf File](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/mule-app-properties-system#set-properties) documentation.

## [](#configure-headers)Configure Headers

You add headers to an HTTP request at one of two levels:

- **Headers**  
    At the HTTP **Request** operation level
- **Default headers**  
    At the HTTP **Request** global configuration level

Configure default headers at the HTTP global configuration level to avoid specifying every header on every single request. With this configuration, those headers are added to every outbound request, alongside any headers you configure at the HTTP **Request** operation level. Some parameters, including the default headers, also accept expressions, allowing you to use dynamic values.

The following example shows how to configure the **Headers** field at the HTTP **Request** operation level in Studio:

1. Select the HTTP **Request** operation from your flow.
2. In **General**, at the **Request** section, select the **Headers** tab.
3. Click the plus sign (**+**) to add a new header.
4. In the **Name** column, change **"Key"** to `"HeaderName1"`.
5. In the **Value** column, change **"Value"** to `"HeaderValue1"`.

![Headers configuration at HTTP Request operation level](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-4.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `headers` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<http:request method="GET" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="/testpath">
 <http:headers ><![CDATA[#[output application/java
---
{
	"HeaderName1" : "HeaderValue1"
}]]]></http:headers>
		</http:request>
```

You can use DataWeave expressions to add headers as well:

1. In the HTTP **Request** operation configuration window, select the **Headers** tab.
2. Click **fx** to switch to literal mode.
3. In the box located in the right section of the **fx** button, add the DataWeave expression `[{'HeaderName1' : 'HeaderValue1'}]`.

![Headers configuration at HTTP Request operation level with DataWeave expression](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-5.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `headers` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<http:request method="GET" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="/testpath">
			<http:headers ><![CDATA[#[[{'HeaderName1' : 'HeaderValue1'}]]]]></http:headers>
		</http:request>
```

The following example shows how to configure the **Default headers** field at the HTTP **Request** global configuration level in Studio:

1. Select the HTTP **Request** operation from your flow.
2. Click the plus sign (**+**) next to the **Connector configuration** field to configure a global element that can be used by all instances of HTTP **Request** in the app. If a configuration is already created, click the edit button instead.
3. Click **Settings**.
4. Set **Default headers** to **Edit inline**.
5. Click the plus sign (**+**) to add a new header.
6. Set **Key** to `x-csrf-token`.
7. Set **Value** to `Fetch`.

![Default headers configuration at HTTP Request global connection](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-6.png)

1. Click **Finish**.

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `default-headers` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<http:default-headers >
    <http:default-header key="x-csrf-token" value="Fetch" />
</http:default-headers>
```

The following example shows how to configure default headers with DataWeave expressions, allowing you to use dynamic values:

1. In the **Default headers** configuration window.
2. For **Value**, click **fx** to switch to literal mode.
3. Set **Value** to `#[vars.role]`.

![Default headers configuration at HTTP Request global connection](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-7.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `default-headers` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<http:request-config name="requestConfig">
    <http:default-headers >
        <http:default-header key="custom-role" value="#[vars.role]" />
    </http:default-headers>
</http:request-config>
```

Using DataWeave expressions in a configuration element constitutes a dynamic configuration. Each time a Mule app uses an HTTP **Request** operation, all expressions in the configuration are evaluated, and for each set of distinct values, a new configuration instance is created and initialized.

<table><tbody><tr><td class="icon"><i class="fa icon-note" title="Note"></i></td><td class="content">For HTTP Connector, use default headers with small value expressions. Otherwise, every single evaluation returns a different value and creates several instances of the HTTP client, consuming valuable resources and negatively affecting performance.</td></tr></tbody></table>

In such cases, configure headers with expressions at the HTTP **Request** operation level:

```xml
<http:request config-ref="requestConfig" method="#[attributes.method]" path="#[attributes.maskedRequestPath]">
	<http:headers>#[{'custom-role':vars.role}]</http:headers>
</http:request>
```

## [](#configure-query-parameters)Configure Query Parameters

To configure query parameters for an HTTP request, follow these steps:

1. In Studio, select the HTTP **Request** operation from your flow.
2. In **General**, at the **Request** section, select the **Query Parameters** tab.
3. Click the plus sign (**+**) to add a parameter to the request.
4. In the **Name** column, change **"Key"** to `"Keyquery"`.
5. In the **Value** column, change **"Value"** to `"Valuequery"`.

![Query parameters configuration with Key field set to Keyqueryand Value field set to Valuequery](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-8.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `query-params` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<http:request method="GET" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="/testpath">
	<http:query-params ><![CDATA[#[output application/java
---
{
	"keyquery" : "Valuequery"
}]]]></http:query-params>
		</http:request>
```

You can use DataWeave expressions to add query parameters as well:

1. In the HTTP **Request** operation configuration window, select the **Query Parameters** tab.
2. Click **fx** to switch to literal mode.
3. In the box located in the right section of the **fx** button, add the DataWeave expression `[{'Keyquery' : 'Valuequery'}]`.

![Query parameters configuration with DataWeave expression](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-9.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `query-params` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<http:request method="GET" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="/testpath">
	<http:query-params ><![CDATA[#[[{'Keyquery' : 'Valuequery'}]]]]></http:query-params>
</http:request>
```

## [](#configure-uri-parameters)Configure URI Parameters

Configure URI parameters when you want to use a placeholder, such as `/customer/{customerId}`, in the path of your request.

The following example shows how to configure the **URI Parameters** field in Studio:

1. Select the HTTP **Request** operation from your flow.
2. In **General**, set **Path** to `/customer/{customerID}`.
3. Select the **URI Parameters** tab.
4. Click the plus sign (**+**) to add a new URI parameter.
5. In the **Name** column, change **"Key"** to `"customerID"`.
6. In the **Value** column, change **"Value"** to `"20"`.

![URI Query parameters configuration with Key field set to customerID and Value field set to 20](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-10.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `uri-params` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<http:request method="GET" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="/customer/{customerID}">
			<http:uri-params ><![CDATA[#[output application/java
---
{
	"customerID" : "20"
}]]]></http:uri-params>
		</http:request>
```

You can use DataWeave expressions to add URI parameters as well:

1. In the HTTP **Request** operation configuration window, select the **URI Parameters** tab.
2. Click **fx** to switch to literal mode.
3. In the box located in the right section of the **fx** button, add the DataWeave expression `[{'customerID' : '20'}]`.

![URI Query parameters configuration with DataWeave expression](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-11.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `uri-params` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<http:request method="GET" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="/customer/{customerId}">
			<http:uri-params ><![CDATA[#[[{'customerID' : '20'}]]]]></http:uri-params>
		</http:request>
```

When the Mule app runs, it performs a `GET` request to: `http://www.example.com/customer/20`.

## [](#configure-dynamic-parameters-and-headers)Configure Dynamic Parameters and Headers

When designing your application, if you don’t know how many parameters or headers an HTTP request might need, use DataWeave expressions and a variable map to dynamically assign parameters or headers to the HTTP request.

To set headers dynamically, create a variable map and assign the variable values using DataWeave. Then, use that variable to set up the headers of your request. For example, with a variable map named `customMap`, you set up the following headers for the request: `#[vars.customMap ++ {'HeaderName1' : 'HeaderValue1'}]`

To set URI parameters dynamically, use a DataWeave expression that returns a map of the parameters. For example, follow these steps:

1. Set **Path** to `` `/test/{p1}/{p2} ``.\`
2. In **General**, at **Request** section, click the **URI Parameters** tab.
3. Click the **fx** button to enter literal mode.
4. Set the following expression `vars.customMap ++ {'p2': 'customer'}`.
5. Before the **Request** operation, add a **Set Variable** operation.
6. Set **Name** to `customMap`.
7. Set **Value** to the expression `{'p1': 'some'}`.

The XML looks like this:

```xml
<set-variable value="#[{'p1': 'some'}]" variableName="customMap"/>
<http:request method="GET" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="/test/{p1}/{p2}">
  <http:uri-params ><![CDATA[#[vars.customMap ++ {'p2': 'customer'}]]]></http:uri-params>
</http:request>
```

If you trigger this flow, the request operation sends a request to the path `/test/some/customer`.

HTTP Connector resolves parameters for each request, and evaluates DataWeave expressions in the context of the current message, in the order specified in the request. If a single parameter is defined more than once, the latest value is used.

## [](#send-form-parameters)Send Form Parameters

To send form parameters in a `POST` request, follow these steps:

1. In Studio, select the HTTP **Request** operation from your flow.
2. In **General**, set **Method** to **POST**.
3. In **Body**, construct the payload of the Mule message as `application/x-www-form-urlencoded` with the names and the values of the parameters to send, for example:

`[output application/x-www-form-urlencoded --- {'key1':'value1', 'key2':'value2'}`

![Body configuration with DataWeave expression](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-12.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `body` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<flow name="httprequestFlow" >
	<http:request method="POST" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="testpath">
		<http:body ><![CDATA[#[output application/x-www-form-urlencoded --- {'key1':'value1', 'key2':'value2'}]]]></http:body>
	</http:request>
</flow>
```

The HTTP **Request** operation sends a POST request to the host location. The HTTP request contains `Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded` and the body is `key1=value1&key2=value2`.

## [](#configure-round-robin-requests)Configure Round-Robin Requests

The HTTP **Request** operation connects to configured hosts using round-robin DNS. Mule resolves all IP addresses associated with the specified host and performs load balancing by distributing the requests across all returned IPs.

When the operation connects to resources that require authentication, the external service must replicate session information between IP addresses within the host of your service to avoid request rejection.

If the external resource does not manage sticky sessions, add the service host name to the `mule.http.disableRoundRobin` system property. The HTTP request won’t use round-robin DNS to connect to the configured host.

Configure this system property when starting Mule by adding:  
`./mule -M-Dmule.http.disableRoundRobin=serverhostname.com`

## [](#configure-response-validator)Configure Response Validator

When the HTTP **Request** operation receives an HTTP response, the operation validates the response through the response status code. By default, HTTP Connector throws an HTTP error response when the status code is 400 or above. Consequently, if the server returns a 404 (Resource Not Found) or a 500 (Internal Server Error) a failure occurs and the connector triggers the error handling.

Two ASCII `..` full stop characters define the range of failure status codes, which means that you can configure a range in a status code validator for example `200..399`. In XML looks like this:

```xml
<http:response-validator >
	<http:success-status-code-validator values="200..399" />
</http:response-validator>
```

Any value from 500 through 599 is considered a failure and raises an error. If the HTTP response has any other status code value, it’s considered a success.

The HTTP **Request** operation adds the following attributes to the Mule message when receiving an HTTP response:

- `attributes.statusCode`  
    Code representing the status of the HTTP response
- `attributes.reasonPhrase`  
    A phrase describing the reasoning behind the HTTP response

For a more detailed example of an HTTP response body during an HTTP request call, refer to the [HTTP Error Response example](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/mule-error-concept#http-request-error) documentation.

In the HTTP **Request** operation configuration, you can customize HTTP responses by configuring the **Response validator** field to any of these options:

- **None**  
    Uses the default validator, which throws an error when the status code is greater than or equal to 400.
- **Expression or Bean reference**  
    Uses a DataWeave expression or bean reference to define the status code.
- **Failure status coded validator**  
    Defines failure status codes that throw errors.
- **Success status code validator**  
    Defines status codes that indicate success.

The following example shows how to configure the **Response validator** field in Studio:

1. Select the HTTP **Request** operation from your flow.
2. In **General**, click the **Response** tab.
3. Set **Response validator** to **Success status code validator**.
4. In **Values**, add the list of acceptable status codes, separated by commas, such as `200,201`.  
    If the HTTP response returned has any other status value, the operation fails and raises an error.

![Response validator field set to Success status code validator](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-13.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `response-validator` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<http:request method="POST" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="testpath">
    <http:response-validator >
      <http:success-status-code-validator values="200,201" />
    </http:response-validator>
  </http:request>
```

You can also configure Global Element Properties for the response validator:

1. In Studio, open the **HTTP Request configuration** window.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Set **Response validator** to **Success status code validator**.
4. In **Values**, add the list of acceptable status codes, separated by commas, such as `200,201`.  
    If the HTTP response returned has any other status value, the operation fails and raises an error.
5. Click **OK**.

## [](#configure-a-target-variable)Configure a Target Variable

By default, the body of an HTTP request is taken from the `[payload]` of the incoming Mule message and the HTTP response is sent as the `[payload]` of the output Mule message.

You can change this behavior for the HTTP **Request** operation, either in the **Body** field section or by updating the value of the **Target Variable** field. This value specifies a location other than payload for the output data, such as a variable.

The following example shows how to configure the **Target Variable** field in Studio:

1. Select the HTTP **Request** operation from your flow.
2. In **General**, select the **Advanced** tab.
3. Set **Target Variable** to `testvariable`.
4. Set **Target Value** to `testvalue`.

![Target variable and Target value configuration](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-14.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `target` and `targetValue` configurations look like this example:

```xml
<http:request method="POST" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="testpath" target="testvariable" targetValue="testvalue">
		</http:request>
```

## [](#configure-request-streaming-mode)Configure Request Streaming Mode

When HTTP Connector manages request bodies, the connector considers the type of data to send. You can configure the HTTP **Request** operation to send HTTP requests in chunks. By default, if the payload type is stream, the operation uses the streaming mechanism to send HTTP requests.  

To control this behavior, configure the **Request streaming mode** field to any of these options:

- **ALWAYS**  
    Always enable streaming regardless of the payload type.
- **AUTO** (default)  
    The behavior depends on the payload type. If the payload is a stream, streaming is enabled. Otherwise, it is disabled.
- **NEVER**  
    Never stream, even if the payload is a stream.

When streaming, the HTTP request does not contain the `Content-Length` header. The request contains the `Transfer-Encoding` header and sends the body in chunks until the stream is fully consumed.

The following example shows how to configure the **Request streaming mode** field in Studio:

1. In the **Mule Palette** view, select **HTTP > Request**.
2. Drag **Request** to the Studio canvas.
3. Set **Path** to `/path`.
4. In the HTTP **Request** operation configuration screen, click the **Request** tab.
5. Set **Request streaming mode** to `ALWAYS`.

![HTTP Request configuration window with Request streaming mode field set to ALWAYS](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-15.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `requestStreamingMode` configuration looks like this:

```xml
<flow name="httprequestFlow"  >
		<http:request method="GET" requestStreamingMode="ALWAYS" config-ref="HTTP_Request_configuration" path="/path"/>
	</flow>
```

### [](#configure-the-request-streaming-system-property)Configure the Request Streaming System Property

Setting **Request streaming mode** to `ALWAYS` causes the Mule app to send HTTP requests in chunks, but the configuration doesn’t imply that the Mule app streams the payload internally. The HTTP **Request** operation needs all the data in memory before sending HTTP requests. Therefore, if the Mule app needs to send a very large request body, the Mule app can generate a high memory consumption, and eventually cause an out-of-memory error. To prevent this issue, Mule provides the `mule.http.requestStreaming.enable` system property to enable internal request streaming.

If you configure this system property, the HTTP **Request** operation starts sending the request body before all of the data is in memory. Therefore, the Mule app won’t need as much memory as it would need if you don’t configure this property.

Configure this system property when starting Mule by adding:  
`./mule -M-Dmule.http.requestStreaming.enable=true`  
The default value of this property depends on the Mule runtime version. For Mule 4.4 and earlier, the property defaults to `false`. For Mule 4.5 and later, the property defaults to `true`.

You can also configure the internal buffer `mule.http.requestStreaming.bufferSize` system property for the streaming mechanism.  

Configure this system property when starting Mule by adding:  
`./mule -M-Dmule.http.requestStreaming.bufferSize=value`  

To learn how to set system properties in Anypoint Studio or for on-premises deployments, refer to the [system properties](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/mule-app-properties-system) documentation.

## [](#configure-response-streaming)Configure Response Streaming

When requesting a large payload, you can choose to stream the response by selecting the **Stream response** field in the HTTP **Request** global configuration.

By default, the **Stream response** box is deselected (`false`). When you select this box (`true`), you enable Mule to manage the HTTP response as a stream by saving chunks to an in-memory buffer. You can also reconfigure the **Response buffer size** default of `1024` to a larger value; however, to avoid buffering issues, it’s important to consume responses when streaming.

The following example shows how to configure the **Request streaming mode** and **Response buffer size** fields in Studio:

1. In the **Mule Palette** view, select **HTTP > Request**.
2. Drag **Request** to the Studio canvas.
3. Set **Path** to `/path`.
4. Click the plus sign (**+**) to open the HTTP Request global configuration.
5. Select the **Stream response** box.
6. Set **Response buffer size** to \`100:.

![HTTP Request configuration window with Stream response field selected and Response buffer size field set to 100](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-16.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `streamResponse` and `responseBufferSize` configurations look like this example:

```xml
<http:request-config name="requestConfig">
    <http:request-connection host="localhost" port="8081" streamResponse="true" responseBufferSize="100"/>
</http:request-config>
```

When you enable response streaming and the response is chunked, the HTTP service uses internal structures to store data chunks. If the next processor to the HTTP **Request** operation needs the whole response in order to operate, the processor could be blocked from reading from those internal structures. Subsequently, if the server doesn’t send any chunks and it doesn’t close the connection, such a processor could be blocked forever. To avoid this situation, the HTTP service establishes a timeout to wait for data to be read. The default timeout value is 20 seconds. You can change the timeout value with the system property `mule.http.responseStreaming.pipeReadTimeoutMillis`. Tuning this value is not recommended.

## [](#configure-retry-mechanisms)Configure Retry Mechanisms

The HTTP **Request** operation does not use the reconnection strategy for retries. The reconnection strategy is a mechanism that Mule SDK uses to reestablish connections when a `ConnectionException` error occurs. This mechanism does not affect connections to an HTTP service created by the HTTP **Request** operation. To learn more about connections, refer to the [Mule SDK Connections](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/connections) documentation.

HTTP Connector uses a retry mechanism that enables you to configure how many times it attempts to consume an external HTTP service. The connector uses this mechanism to reconnect an HTTP client with an HTTP service. HTTP Connector does not manage TCP connections, so this mechanism does not reconnect sockets.

To configure how many times the HTTP **Request** operation can retry consuming an external HTTP service (_retries_), you can use either:

- The **Until Successful** scope component
- The built-in retry mechanism in the HTTP **Request** operation

### [](#configure-retry-mechanism-with-until-successful-scope)Configure Retry Mechanism with Until Successful Scope

The **Until Successful** scope processes the components within the scope, in order, until they succeed or exhaust the maximum number of retries. Enclosing the HTTP **Request** operation in this scope enables you to configure the **Max Retries** and **Milliseconds Between Retries** fields.

The following example shows how to configure the retry mechanism with the **Until Successful** scope in Studio:

1. In the **Mule Palette** view, select **Core > Until Successful**.
2. Drag the **Until Successful** scope component to the Studio canvas.
3. Set **Max retries** to `5`.
4. Set **Milliseconds Between Retries** to `10000`.
5. In the **Mule Palette** view, select **HTTP > Request**.
6. Drag **Request** into the **Until Successful** scope component.

![Until Successful scope configuration with HTTP Request operation](/mulesoft/current/en-us/http-connector/1.10/_images/http-request-17.png)

In the **Configuration XML** editor, the `until-successful`, `maxRetries`, and `millisBetweenRetries` configurations look like this example:

```xml
<until-successful maxRetries="5" millisBetweenRetries="10000">
    <http:request method="GET" config-ref="requestConfig" />
</until-successful>
```

To learn more about this scope, refer to the [Until Successful Scope](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/until-successful-scope) documentation.

### [](#configure-built-in-retry-mechanism)Configure Built-In Retry Mechanism

When the HTTP **Request** operation receives an error of type `Remotely Closed`, the operation automatically retries the idempotent methods `PUT`, `DELETE`, `GET`, `HEAD`, `OPTIONS`, and `TRACE` three times before the retry fails. You can configure two system properties to customize this mechanism:

- `mule.http.client.maxRetries=5`  
    This system property enables you to configure the number of retries before the HTTP **Request** operation fails. Additionally, you can set the system property value to zero to avoid using the built-in mechanism.

Configure this system property when starting Mule by adding:  
`./mule -M-Dmule.http.client.maxRetries=5`

- `mule.http.client.retryOnAllMethods=true`  
    This system property extends the built-in mechanism to all the methods, and not only the idempotent ones.

Configure this system property when starting Mule by adding:  
`./mule -M-Dmule.http.client.retryOnAllMethods=true`

To learn how to set system properties, refer to the [System Properties](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/mule-app-properties-system) documentation. To understand why nonidempotent methods, such as `POST`, aren’t retried by default, refer to [RFC 7230](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7230).

## [](#see-also)See Also

- [Mule 4 Thread Pools and Tuning apps](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/latest/execution-engine#thread-pools-and-tuning-apps)
- [HTTP Request Attributes Reference](https://docs.mulesoft.com/http-connector/1.10/http-documentation#HttpRequestAttributes)
- [HTTP Response Attributes Reference](https://docs.mulesoft.com/http-connector/1.10/http-documentation#HttpResponseAttributes)