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JavaScript Node.js Basics (2014) Building a Command Line Application Making a GET Request with http

Posted by Peter Xu
Peter Xu
3,553 Points

Running 'node app.js' hangs after response is returned. Why is this happening?

I've done the example and have the code almost identical to the video tutorial.

var username = "peterxu2";
var http = require("http");


function printMessage(username, badgeCount, points) {
  var message = username + " has " + badgeCount + " total badge(s) and " + points + " points in Javascript";
  console.log(message);
}

var request = http.get("http://teamtreehouse.com/" + username + ".json", function(response) {
  console.log(response.statusCode);
});

And my output looks like:

treehouse:~/workspace$ node app.js                                                               
200

Notice the command prompt doesn't display. It takes about 10 or more seconds before the prompt returns:

treehouse:~/workspace$ node app.js                                                               
200                                                                                              
treehouse:~/workspace$

Why does the request hang for so long? It seemed to return almost immediately in the video. I'm behind a corporate proxy now, could that be having any impact?

4 Answers

Andrew Chalkley
STAFF
Andrew Chalkley
Treehouse Guest Teacher
Andrew Chalkley
Andrew Chalkley
Treehouse Guest Teacher

I think what's happening in your code is that "end" hasn't been implemented yet and the Node.js process needs to Timeout. The request has already been responded to because of the 200. If it hadn't it would look like this...

treehouse:~/workspace$ node app.js

...for longer.

Andrew Chalkley
STAFF
Andrew Chalkley
Treehouse Guest Teacher
Andrew Chalkley
Andrew Chalkley
Treehouse Guest Teacher

Hey Peter

Check out the comments in the code. It now works.

Regards
Andrew

var username = "peterxu2";
var http = require("http");


function printMessage(username, badgeCount, points) {
  var message = username + " has " + badgeCount + " total badge(s) and " + points + " points in Javascript";
  console.log(message);
}
var statcode;
var request = http.get("http://teamtreehouse.com/" + username + ".json", function(response) {
  //console.log(response.statusCode
  statcode = response.statusCode;
  //You need to implement 'data' for the 'end' to get triggered eventually.
  response.on("data", function(){})
  //You need to implement the response's end not the requests 'end'. 
  //And it needs to be inside the callback so you can access the response.
  response.on("end", function() {
    console.log("Status Code: " + statcode);
  });
});
Kevin VanConant
Kevin VanConant
1,833 Points
Kevin VanConant
Kevin VanConant
1,833 Points

It very well could. I'm behind a corp network as well and it can be laggy. At home fast as the videos no problem.

Peter Xu
Peter Xu
3,553 Points
Peter Xu
Peter Xu
3,553 Points

I don't think that's the issue.

var username = "peterxu2";
var http = require("http");


function printMessage(username, badgeCount, points) {
  var message = username + " has " + badgeCount + " total badge(s) and " + points + " points in Javascript";
  console.log(message);
}
var statcode;
var request = http.get("http://teamtreehouse.com/" + username + ".json", function(response) {
  //console.log(response.statusCode
  statcode = response.statusCode;
});

request.on("end", function() {
  console.log("Status Code: " + statcode);
});

I implemented the "end" event, but it doesn't seem to be triggered.

treehouse:~/workspace$ node app.js

The response is being printed in get, but it doesn't seem to reach "end" for some reason.