Skip to main content

HTTP requests time out or fail frequently

Previous article

HTTP request timeout or frequent failure: How to get out of the "shadow of 404"?

Preface: The days when HTTP request failed​

You are happily opening the development tool and excitedly launching an HTTP request. As long as the data is successfully returned, you can show off your latest achievements, or at least "do some work". However, what happened next made you want to smash your computer for a while: HTTP request timeout, or directly "frequent failure". You sighed at the screen and shouted in your heart: "Oh my God, what's going on?" This is the norm for programmers, and the challenges that must be experienced in development - HTTP request timeout and request failure.

Does it look familiar? You are not alone! Many developers have also experienced this pit.

This article will help you gain a deeper understanding of the root causes of HTTP request timeouts and failures, and give you some interesting solutions so that you can easily solve this tricky problem!

Reasons for HTTP request timeout or failure​

1. Unstable network: Like launching on a rocket​

Previous article

One of the most common reasons when you try to make a request is that your network signal is unstable. If you work in a coffee shop or a crowded place, the quality of your network connection directly determines the success or failure of your request - the network is sometimes like a rocket that suddenly takes off and disappears into the sky in the next second.

Network problems:

  • Limited network bandwidth
  • Too high a load on the router or server
  • There is a delay between the local network and the target server

2. Server overload: The server is not Superman​

Previous article

Sometimes, the request you made is not successful at all because the server is overwhelmed by the request. Just like an overloaded bus, the carriage is already full and no one can squeeze in. When the number of requests is too large for the server to handle, it will cause a timeout.

Common scenarios:

  • The server processes requests too slowly
  • The backend database query is complex and the response time is long
  • Insufficient server resources (such as CPU, memory, etc.)

3. The request timeout is too short: rushing to close the window​

Previous article

Did you know? Sometimes the problem only occurs in the timeout period set in the request. If you set a too short timeout period for the HTTP request, then if the server is a little slower, your request will be judged as a timeout, and it will be terminated without even finding the root problem.

How to solve HTTP request timeout or failure?​

Well, facing request failure and timeout, we are no longer just complaining or angry. Let's come up with a "programmer-style solution" to fix the problem! Remember, successful solutions are usually like you running into the discount area of ​​​​the supermarket, there are always some tricks that can save you a little money.

1. Check the network connection: small network, huge magic​

The simplest and most important step is to check your network connection. You can use some tools to test the stability of the network to make sure that the network is not the root cause of the problem. For example, you can use the ping command:

ping www.google.com

See if there is any packet loss or excessive latency. If there is a problem, try to switch to a more stable network connection, such as your home WiFi or faster mobile data.

2. **Increase the timeout limit for requests: Give the server more time, don't rush it! **​

If the request fails due to a timeout problem, consider increasing the timeout limit. Give the server more time to process your request, don't be too impatient. Just like when you go to a meal, don't ask the waiter to serve the food before it is ready.

// Increase timeout using axios
axios.get('https://example.com/data', {
  timeout: 10000 // Set the request timeout to 10 seconds
})
  .then(response => {
    console.log('Data return：', response.data);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    if (error.code === 'ECONNABORTED') {
      console.log('Request timeout！');
    } else {
      console.log('Request failed：', error.message);
    }
  });

The above code demonstrates how to increase the timeout in axios. You can adjust this time according to your needs. It is usually reasonable to set it between 5 seconds and 30 seconds.

3. Optimize server performance: train the server to be a marathon runner​

If the server load is too high and the request fails, it is best to optimize the server. Check the server-side code, optimize the database query, and ensure that the response speed of the API does not slow down the overall efficiency. For example:

  • Query optimization: Use indexes to speed up database queries;

  • Cache: Use cache technology (such as Redis) where appropriate;

  • Concurrent processing: Expand the processing power of the server and use a load balancer to distribute traffic.

Server optimization is not as interesting as developing the front end, but it can effectively reduce the probability of request failure.

4. Distributed requests: multi-threaded request parallel processing​

Sometimes, if a request is too large and the server takes too long to process, you can try to split the large request into multiple small requests for parallel processing. This will significantly improve efficiency and reduce the occurrence of timeouts.

Code demonstration:

const axios = require('axios');

// Assume you have multiple API requests that need to be processed in parallel
Promise.all([
  axios.get('https://example.com/data1'),
  axios.get('https://example.com/data2'),
  axios.get('https://example.com/data3')
])
  .then(responses => {
    console.log('Data return：', responses);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    console.log('Request failed：', error.message);
  });

With Promise.all you can process multiple requests in parallel, avoiding the entire process being stuck due to a single request timeout.

5. **Retry mechanism: You are not the one who is disappointed! **​

Sometimes, network and server problems do not always exist. Adding a retry mechanism allows you to automatically retry when a request fails, giving the server and network more opportunities to recover.

Code example:

const axios = require('axios');

// Encapsulation retry mechanism
function fetchDataWithRetry(url, retries = 3, delay = 1000) {
  return axios.get(url)
    .then(response => response.data)
    .catch(error => {
      if (retries > 0) {
        console.log(`Request failed, retrying...Number of retries remaining: ${retries}`);
        return new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, delay))
          .then(() => fetchDataWithRetry(url, retries - 1, delay));
      } else {
        throw error;
      }
    });
}

fetchDataWithRetry('https://example.com/data')
  .then(data => {
    console.log('Data return：', data);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    console.log('Request failed：', error.message);
  });

The above code gives you a simple retry mechanism. Each time a request fails, it will retry up to three times. You can also control the retry interval by adjusting delay.

Summary: Get out of HTTP request failures!​

Whether it is due to network problems, server overload, or too short timeout settings, HTTP request timeouts and failures may disrupt your day. But don't worry, with these methods, you can not only escape the "shadow" of 404, but also improve your development skills.

Key points:​

  1. Check network connection to ensure stability;

  2. Increase request timeout time, don't rush too much;

  3. Optimize server performance to make the server run faster;

  4. Use parallel requests to avoid bottlenecks;

  5. Add a retry mechanism to make requests more stable.

Previous article

When you encounter a request timeout or failure, don't rush to give up, find the root cause, and solve it slowly. **You will not only become smarter, but also find programming to be fun! **

0%