hasura/graphql-engine · error

request failed: url: %s status code: %v status: %s %s

Error message

request failed: url: %s status code: %v status: %s 
%s

What it means

GetServerStatus received an HTTP response whose status code is not 200 from the version endpoint (cli/util/server.go:144). The message includes the URL, status code, status text, and the response body, so the body usually reveals the server-side reason (error page, JSON error, auth challenge).

Source

Thrown at cli/util/server.go:144

	req, err := http.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, versionEndpoint, nil)
	if err != nil {
		return errors.E(
			op,
			fmt.Errorf("failed to create GET request to %s: %w", versionEndpoint, err),
		)
	}

	var responseBs bytes.Buffer

	resp, err := httpClient.Do(context.Background(), req, &responseBs)
	if err != nil {
		return errors.E(op, fmt.Errorf("making http request failed: %w", err))
	}

	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
		return errors.E(
			op,
			fmt.Errorf(
				"request failed: url: %s status code: %v status: %s \n%s",
				versionEndpoint,
				resp.StatusCode,
				resp.Status,
				responseBs.String(),
			),
		)
	}

	return nil
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 724551b9ae)

Solutions

1. Read the response body in the error message — it typically names the exact server-side cause.
2. Map the status: 401/403 -> fix/refresh credentials; 404 -> correct the base URL/path or upgrade the server; 5xx -> check server logs.
3. If behind a proxy, verify the upstream is healthy (the 502/503 is from the proxy, not the app).
4. Confirm the server version is new enough to expose the version endpoint.

Example fix

// before
st, err := util.GetServerStatus(u)
if err != nil { return err }

// after
st, err := util.GetServerStatus(u)
if err != nil {
    if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "status code: 401") {
        return fmt.Errorf("credentials rejected — run 'cli login': %w", err)
    }
    return err
}

// pre-flight with plain http to surface status early
resp, err := http.Get(ep) //nolint
if err == nil {
    defer resp.Body.Close()
    if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
        return fmt.Errorf("endpoint unhealthy (HTTP %d) — check server/auth before continuing", resp.StatusCode)
    }
}

_, err := util.GetServerStatus(u)
if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "status code:") {
    sc := extractStatusCode(err)
    switch {
    case sc == 401 || sc == 403:
        return fmt.Errorf("auth failed — refresh credentials: %w", err)
    case sc == 404:
        return fmt.Errorf("endpoint not found — check base URL/server version: %w", err)
    case sc >= 500:
        return fmt.Errorf("server error — check server logs: %w", err)
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling GetServerStatus when the endpoint returns 401/403 (auth required or bad token), 404 (wrong path or server version without the endpoint), 500 (server-side crash), or 502/503 (proxy/gateway in front of an unhealthy server).

Common situations: API token expired or missing so a gateway returns 401/403; reverse proxy (nginx/ingress) returning 502 because the backend is down; hitting an old server version that lacks /version; typo'd base path producing 404.

Related errors

• failed to create GET request to %s: %w
• making http request failed: %w
• Header '{0}', used in the auth config, is not a valid header
• Header value '{0}' is not a valid header value for header '{
• Unexpected status code: {0}

AI-assisted analysis of hasura/graphql-engine@724551b9ae (2026-08-28). Data as JSON: /api/errors/fc71855fdcaedddf. Report an issue: GitHub.