CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#dotnet-httpclienthttp-status-code-301
resp78
resp78

Reputation: 1534

HttpClient GetStringAsync returns 301, but browsers are able to navigate to correct address

I thought that HttpClient should be able to handle 301 error code, and redirect to the correct address. However with the following address (https://www.npr.org/templates/rss/podcast.php?id=510298), it throws exception. The browsers are able to handle it properly though. Just like to understand if there is a way out or am I missing something.

HttpClient client = new HttpClient();

var s = await client
    .GetStringAsync("https://www.npr.org/templates/rss/podcast.php?id=510298");

throws 

Test1 [0:00.779] Failed: System.Net.Http.HttpRequestException : Response 
status code does not indicate success: 301 (Moved Permanently).
System.Net.Http.HttpRequestException : Response status code does not 
indicate success: 301 (Moved Permanently).
   at System.Net.Http.HttpResponseMessage.EnsureSuccessStatusCode()
   at System.Net.Http.HttpClient.GetStringAsyncCore(Task`1 getTask)
   at XUnitTestProject1.UnitTest1.Test1() in 
   C:\Users\res\source\repos\test\XUnitTestProject1\UnitTest1.cs:line 13

Upvotes: 4

Views: 1753

Answers (1)

resp78
resp78

Reputation: 1534

I finally found the reason. Generally HttpClient would handle the redirects properly, but it does not handle redirects if it is from https -> http. Which is the case here. I was stumped by the response of the chrome browser, the displayed redirected url in chrome started with https (https://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=510298), but the actual redirect was to http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=510298

There is an explanation at https://github.com/dotnet/runtime/issues/21446#issuecomment-298323133

Upvotes: 7

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