Registry / http-networking / light-my-request

light-my-request

library6.6.0jsnpmunverified

light-my-request is a utility library designed to simulate HTTP requests against Node.js HTTP servers without requiring the server to be bound to a network port or even in a listening state. This makes it an ideal tool for writing fast, isolated tests for server logic, as well as for debugging server-side applications. The current stable version is 6.6.0. The project maintains a consistent release cadence, frequently delivering minor versions and patch updates to address features, bug fixes, and performance improvements, as evidenced by the regular 6.x releases. A core differentiator of this library is its ability to interact directly with an `http.createServer` dispatch function, effectively injecting fake request and response objects without relying on actual socket connections. It provides flexibility by supporting both traditional callback-based request handling and modern Promise-based (async/await) patterns, alongside a fluent, chainable API for constructing complex requests.

http-networking testing

npm install light-my-request

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · LIGHT-MY-REQUEST

light-my-request

http-networkingjavascriptv6.6.0

Install

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Import

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Disk

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Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

inject

✓ import { inject } from 'light-my-request'

✗ const inject = require('light-my-request').inject

The primary function to initiate a fake HTTP request. While CJS environments can `require('light-my-request')` directly to get the `inject` function, ESM environments must use named imports.

DispatchFunc

✓ import type { DispatchFunc } from 'light-my-request'

✗ import { DispatchFunc } from 'light-my-request'

This is a TypeScript type definition for the function that handles incoming requests, typically passed to `http.createServer`. It should be imported as a type.

* as LightMyRequest

✓ import * as LightMyRequest from 'light-my-request'

Allows importing all named exports from the module into a single namespace object, useful for TypeScript or when accessing multiple utilities from the library.

Demonstrates basic GET and POST request injection using the async/await and chained API, showing how to interact with a standard Node.js HTTP dispatch function.

import { inject } from 'light-my-request'; import http from 'node:http'; const dispatch = function (req, res) { let body = ''; req.on('data', chunk => { body += chunk; }); req.on('end', () => { if (req.method === 'POST' && req.url === '/echo') { res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain', 'Content-Length': body.length }); res.end(body); } else if (req.url === '/') { const reply = 'Hello World'; res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain', 'Content-Length': reply.length }); res.end(reply); } else { res.writeHead(404); res.end('Not Found'); } }); }; async function runInjection() { try { const getResponse = await inject(dispatch).get('/').end(); console.log('GET /:', getResponse.payload); // Expected: Hello World const postResponse = await inject(dispatch) .post('/echo') .payload('This is a test POST body') .end(); console.log('POST /echo:', postResponse.payload); // Expected: This is a test POST body } catch (err) { console.error('Injection failed:', err); } } runInjection();

Debug

Known issues

gotchalight-my-request operates by directly invoking an HTTP dispatch function, not by making actual network requests. This means your Node.js HTTP server does not need to be running or listening on a port for `inject` to work. Code paths that rely on a live network socket (e.g., `server.address()`, `socket.remoteAddress`) will not function as they would in a real HTTP context.

fix

Ensure your server logic under test is designed to be independent of network specifics or provide mocks for network-dependent features if necessary.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaWhen using `light-my-request` in an ESM (ECMAScript Module) context, you must use named imports for functions like `inject`. Direct default `require()` patterns from CommonJS are not compatible and will result in runtime errors.

fix

Use `import { inject } from 'light-my-request'` instead of `const inject = require('light-my-request')` in ESM files. For TypeScript, ensure your `tsconfig.json` correctly configures `moduleResolution`.

affects: >=3.0.0

deprecatedWhile callback-based APIs are still supported, the library's examples and modern usage strongly encourage the adoption of Promise-based or async/await syntax for better asynchronous control flow and error handling. Callbacks may be de-emphasized in future major versions.

fix

Migrate from `inject(dispatch, options, (err, res) => { ... })` to `inject(dispatch, options).then(res => { ... }).catch(err => { ... })` or `try { const res = await inject(dispatch, options); } catch (err) { ... }`.

affects: >=3.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

TypeError: (0, light_my_request_1.inject) is not a function

Attempting to use CommonJS `require` syntax or an incorrect named import in an ESM module context, leading to `inject` being undefined.

fix

In an ESM file (`.mjs` or `type: 'module'` in `package.json`), use `import { inject } from 'light-my-request';`. If using TypeScript, ensure correct `moduleResolution` in `tsconfig.json`.

TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'payload')

This typically occurs when attempting to access properties like `payload` from the response object before the Promise returned by `inject` has resolved, or if the `inject` call itself failed and was not caught.

fix

Ensure you `await` the `inject` call when using `async/await`, or handle the `.then()` and `.catch()` branches correctly when using Promises. For example: `const res = await inject(...); console.log(res.payload);`

Error: Cannot find module 'form-auto-content'

Attempting to use the `form-auto-content` package for multipart data without explicitly installing it as a dependency.

fix

Install `form-auto-content` if you intend to use it for `multipart/form-data` requests: `npm install form-auto-content`.

Upgrade

Version history

6.6.0latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

form-auto-contentoptionalRequired for simulating multipart/form-data or x-www-form-urlencoded payloads, such as file uploads.

Agent activity

4 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/fastify/light-my-request ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/light-my-request ↗