Allow setting of default base_url

[nrocco]

Hi there, first of all httpie is an excellent library. I recently switched to it after using resty for ages.

One of the nice features i am missing is a way to set a base url that will be used for subsequent http invocations.

I often find myself issuing multiple rest calls when testing/browsing an API and defining a base url saves me from a lot of typing.

For example, assume the following base url:

https://api.example.com/api/v1

When issuing the following command

http GET /users

Will do a GET request to the resource located at https://api.example.com/api/v1/users.

Currently I solve my impediment by applying the following patch to the httpie library

diff --git a/httpie/input.py b/httpie/input.py
index 8eb6a7d..e49079d 100644
--- a/httpie/input.py
+++ b/httpie/input.py
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ class Parser(ArgumentParser):
         self._parse_items()
         if not self.args.ignore_stdin and not env.stdin_isatty:
             self._body_from_file(self.env.stdin)
+        if 'HTTPIE_BASEURL' in os.environ:
+            self.args.url = os.environ['HTTPIE_BASEURL'].rstrip('/') + self.args.url
         if not (self.args.url.startswith((HTTP, HTTPS))):
             scheme = HTTP

This allows me to define a base url for the current running shell:

export HTTPIE_BASEURL='https://api.example.com/api/v1'
http GET /users
http GET /users/8292

I am curious what you think about this approach and maybe have a better idea.
I would be happy to contribute to this idea if needed.

Keep up the great work.

[smartboyathome]

I've been looking for something like this, but instead of working with a single environment, I have multiple that I can hit. As such, I'd like to do something like this:

http GET {{api}}/users  --environment=test
http GET {{api}}/users/8292  --environment=prod

I know this isn't necessarily the role of HTTPie, but it's a feature that otherwise I'd otherwise write a wrapper for. If anything, the ability to write a plugin to support this would be helpful.

[jkbrzt]

Related feature request: #180

[nrocco]

@jakubroztocil IMHO there is a difference between issue #180 or @smartboyathome suggestion and my proposal.

Sessions solve the problem of defining default parameters (headers, query string etc) which is a very nice feature, indeed. But as far as I know it does not solve the default base url problem.

I still think it would be nice to be able to define a default base url for the above mentioned reasons.

Instead of writing a wrapper around HTTPie (which works perfectly fine) I like to see how people think about including it as a feature in HTTPie. I am not sure if it should be the responsibility of HTTPie to offer such as feature.

[jkbrzt]

@nrocco You are right, it's not actually related.

If this should be added, then I think it should be done by redefining/extending the similar and already existing :/foo localhost shortcut functionality.

Something like this:

1. When the URL doesn't include any host, then the value of HTTPIE_BASEURL is prepended to it.
2. The default value of HTTPIE_BASEURL is http://localhost.

So that:

$ http /foo   # => http://localhost/foo

$ export HTTPIE_BASEURL=http://example.org
$ http /foo   # => http://example.org/foo

The localhost shortcut also enables a port to be specified (e.g. :8000/foo). That should probably be made possible for the custom base url as well.

[nrocco]

@jakubroztocil Thanks for your feedback. Allow me to prepare a PR and report back here.

If you agree with the implementation then fine, otherwise it can serve as a basis for a better implementation or at least for the discussion if it should be part of HTTPie or not.

[nrocco]

@jakubroztocil I have prepared a pull request #217. I am looking forward to your thoughts.

[jkbrzt]

Have a look at https://github.com/eliangcs/http-prompt if you're interested in this feature.

[trollfred]

@jakubroztocil I would vote for this feature, using http-prompt is not always convenient

[noahcoad]

+1 This would be helpful!

[johnnymetz]

+1 Must have this!

[hmeine]

Please can someone comment on #838 ? I feel like the existing session functionality could be a good match for adding a default host (instead of localhost).