# HTTP Guide
This guide covers hackney's HTTP features in depth.
## Request Anatomy
```erlang
hackney:request(Method, URL, Headers, Body, Options) ->
{ok, StatusCode, RespHeaders, Ref} | {error, Reason}
```
## Request Bodies
### Binary Body
```erlang
hackney:post(URL,
[{<<"content-type">>, <<"application/json">>}],
<<"{\"key\": \"value\"}">>
).
```
### Form-Encoded Body
```erlang
hackney:post(URL, [], {form, [{<<"key">>, <<"value">>}]}).
```
### Multipart Body
```erlang
hackney:post(URL, [], {multipart, [
{<<"field">>, <<"value">>},
{file, <<"/path/to/file.txt">>}
]}).
```
### Streaming Body
```erlang
{ok, Ref} = hackney:post(URL, Headers, stream),
ok = hackney:send_body(Ref, <<"chunk1">>),
ok = hackney:send_body(Ref, <<"chunk2">>),
ok = hackney:finish_send_body(Ref),
{ok, Status, RespHeaders, Ref} = hackney:start_response(Ref).
```
## Response Handling
### Read Full Body
```erlang
{ok, 200, Headers, Ref} = hackney:get(URL),
{ok, Body} = hackney:body(Ref).
```
### Stream Response Body
```erlang
{ok, 200, Headers, Ref} = hackney:get(URL),
stream_body(Ref).
stream_body(Ref) ->
case hackney:stream_body(Ref) of
{ok, Data} -> process(Data), stream_body(Ref);
done -> ok
end.
```
## HTTP/2 Support
Hackney automatically negotiates HTTP/2 for HTTPS connections via ALPN.
### Automatic HTTP/2
```erlang
%% HTTP/2 used automatically when server supports it
{ok, 200, Headers, Body} = hackney:get(
<<"https://nghttp2.org/">>,
[],
<<>>,
[with_body]
).
```
### Force Protocol
```erlang
%% HTTP/2 only
hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [{protocols, [http2]}]).
%% HTTP/1.1 only
hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [{protocols, [http1]}]).
```
### Detect Protocol
HTTP/2 responses have lowercase header names:
```erlang
case hd(Headers) of
{<<"date">>, _} -> http2;
{<<"Date">>, _} -> http1
end.
```
For details on multiplexing, server push, and architecture, see the [HTTP/2 Guide](http2_guide.md).
## Async Responses
```erlang
{ok, Ref} = hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [async]),
receive
{hackney_response, Ref, {status, Status, _}} -> ok
end,
receive
{hackney_response, Ref, {headers, Headers}} -> ok
end,
receive
{hackney_response, Ref, done} -> ok;
{hackney_response, Ref, Bin} -> ok
end.
```
### Async Once
```erlang
{ok, Ref} = hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [{async, once}]),
receive {hackney_response, Ref, Msg} -> ok end,
hackney:stream_next(Ref). %% Request next message
```
## Connection Pooling
### Default Pool
```erlang
hackney:get(URL). %% Uses default pool
```
### Named Pools
```erlang
hackney_pool:start_pool(my_api, [
{max_connections, 100},
{timeout, 150000}
]),
hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [{pool, my_api}]).
```
## Redirects
```erlang
{ok, 200, Headers, Ref} = hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [
{follow_redirect, true},
{max_redirect, 5}
]).
```
## Proxies
### HTTP Proxy
```erlang
hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [
{proxy, <<"http://proxy:8080">>}
]).
```
### Environment Variables
hackney reads `HTTP_PROXY`, `HTTPS_PROXY`, `NO_PROXY` automatically.
## SSL/TLS
### Custom CA Certificate
```erlang
hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [
{ssl_options, [{cacertfile, "/path/to/ca.crt"}]}
]).
```
### Skip Verification
```erlang
hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [insecure]).
```
## Timeouts
```erlang
hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [
{connect_timeout, 5000},
{recv_timeout, 30000}
]).
```
## Cookies
```erlang
hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [{cookie, <<"session=abc">>}]).
%% Parse response cookies
{ok, 200, Headers, _} = hackney:get(URL),
Cookies = hackney:cookies(Headers).
```
## Basic Authentication
```erlang
hackney:get(URL, [], <<>>, [
{basic_auth, {<<"user">>, <<"pass">>}}
]).
```
## Next Steps
- [HTTP/2 Guide](http2_guide.md) - Multiplexing, server push, architecture
- [WebSocket Guide](websocket_guide.md)
- [Migration Guide](MIGRATION.md)