Help! how can I use http request node to request a local Http Server??

[zt-x]

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1. Is this request related to a challenge you're experiencing? Tell me about your story.

I want use http request node to request a local Http Server, at the url field, it seem that I can't use “http://localhost:8080/xxx” or "http://127.0.0.1:8080/xxx" to send request.

2. Additional context or comments

No response

[dosubot[bot]]

You can't use http://localhost:8080 or http://127.0.0.1:8080 in the HTTP request node if Dify is running in Docker or a similar containerized environment. Inside the container, localhost refers to the container itself, not your host machine. Also, Dify uses SSRF protection that may block requests to local/private addresses for security reasons, which can cause these requests to fail even if the network is otherwise reachable cite.

To work around this, use your host machine's LAN IP (for example, http://192.168.x.x:8080) or, if you're on Docker Desktop, use http://host.docker.internal:8080 instead of localhost or 127.0.0.1 cite cite cite. Make sure your local server is listening on all interfaces (0.0.0.0), not just 127.0.0.1, and that the port is exposed to the Docker network.

If you still have trouble, check that SANDBOX_ENABLE_NETWORK=true is set in your environment, and confirm that your containers are on the same Docker network with the correct ports exposed cite cite.

To reply, just mention @dosu.

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[dosubot[bot]]

Yes, you can change environment variables in the .env file before launching Docker. Dify will load these values at startup and use them throughout its runtime. If you need to update an environment variable (like your base URL), edit the .env file, then restart your Docker containers (for example, with docker-compose down and docker-compose up -d) to apply the changes. Environment variables are static during runtime, so any changes require a container restart to take effect cite cite cite.

To reply, just mention @dosu.

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[zt-x]

Please give me usage examples, thanks!

[dosubot[bot]]

Here’s a concrete example for using environment variables in Dify to set your HTTP request node’s base URL:

1. Edit your .env file before starting Docker
   Add a line like this (replace with your current LAN IP and port):

   BASE_URL=http://192.168.12.34:8080
   

   You can name the variable whatever you want (e.g., BASE_URL, FILES_URL, etc.)—just be consistent.
   If your IP changes, update this value and restart Docker.

2. Reference the variable in your HTTP request node
   In the HTTP node’s URL field, use Dify’s template syntax:

   {{#env.BASE_URL#}}/your/api/path
   

   For example, to call /execute_commands:

   {{#env.BASE_URL#}}/execute_commands
   

   This will resolve to http://192.168.12.34:8080/execute_commands at runtime.

3. Apply changes when your IP changes

   • Update the .env file with your new IP.
   • Restart Dify’s Docker containers:

     docker-compose down
     docker-compose up -d
     

   Dify loads environment variables at startup, so a restart is required for changes to take effect.
   See .env usage and examples
   See how Dify loads env vars

Tips:

• Always include http:// or https:// in your URL variable to avoid errors.
• If you want to use a variable in the HTTP node URL (e.g., from a previous node), use {{item.source_url}} and make sure it includes the protocol prefix.
  See example with dynamic URL

Let me know if you want a script to automate updating your .env file with your current IP!

To reply, just mention @dosu.

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[zt-x]

I changed my .env file， add BASE_URL， but I can't use it on http node

[zt-x]

@dosu. help

[smirk-dev]

Based on your screenshots, I see the issue - you've modified the .env file but the environment variable syntax might not be correct in Dify's HTTP node. Here's the fix:

Step-by-step solution:

1. Verify your .env file has the correct format:

BASE_URL=http://192.168.12.34:8080

2. Important: Make sure you're using the correct variable reference syntax in Dify's HTTP node:
   Instead of {{BASE_URL}}, you need to use:

{{#env.BASE_URL#}}

Note the # symbols around env.BASE_URL - this is Dify's special syntax for environment variables.

3. Full URL example in the HTTP node:

{{#env.BASE_URL#}}/execute_commands

This will resolve to: http://192.168.12.34:8080/execute_commands

4. After making changes to .env:
   You MUST restart your Docker containers:

docker-compose down
docker-compose up -d

Environment variables are loaded at startup, so changes require a restart.

5. Common issues to check:

• Your local server must be listening on 0.0.0.0, not just 127.0.0.1
• Verify the firewall isn't blocking the connection
• Ensure SANDBOX_ENABLE_NETWORK=true is set in your .env
• Both Dify and your local server must be on the same Docker network

Try this and let me know if it works for you!

[zt-x]

It doesn't work😭

[smirk-dev]

Thanks for sharing the screenshot! I can see the issue - it looks like the {{#env.BASE_URL#}} syntax isn't being recognized. Let me help you debug this step by step:

Common causes and solutions:

1. Docker Restart (Most Common)

The most frequent reason environment variables don't work is forgetting to restart Docker after updating .env:

docker-compose down
docker-compose up -d

Dify only reads environment variables at startup, so changes require a restart.

2. Verify .env File Format

Check that your .env file in the docker/ folder contains:

BASE_URL=http://192.168.12.34:8080

• No quotes around the URL
• No trailing spaces
• Proper line endings (LF, not CRLF)

3. Check Variable Availability in Dify

Some versions of Dify may need the variable defined in the right configuration file. Try these:

Option A: Edit .env (standard approach)

BASE_URL=http://192.168.12.34:8080

Option B: If using docker-compose, add directly in the service:
Edit docker-compose.yml and add to the api service:

environment:
  - BASE_URL=http://192.168.12.34:8080

4. Verify Syntax in HTTP Node

Make sure you're using the EXACT syntax:

• CHECK {{#env.BASE_URL#}}/execute_commands
• NOT {{BASE_URL}}/execute_commands
• NOT ${BASE_URL}/execute_commands

5. Check Docker Network & Connection

Share:

1. What error message are you seeing in the HTTP node execution?
2. Can you ping 192.168.12.34 from inside the Dify container?

6. Alternative: Use host.docker.internal

If you're on Mac or Windows with Docker Desktop, try:

BASE_URL=http://host.docker.internal:8080

Then use {{#env.BASE_URL#}}/execute_commands in the HTTP node.

Can you try restarting Docker and let me know the exact error message? That will help narrow down the issue further!