> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.anyreach.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# HTTP API step

> Call any HTTP endpoint from a workflow.

The HTTP API step makes a single HTTP request and captures the response in the workflow context. It's the go-to step for talking to external systems that don't have a dedicated [Action](/workflows/steps/app) integration.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/anyreach/GkNdeE8g5Skb8wsh/images/workflows/http.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=GkNdeE8g5Skb8wsh&q=85&s=818dbbbfb3703da03eeeb11884f20073" alt="HTTP API step inspector" width="3104" height="1928" data-path="images/workflows/http.png" />
</Frame>

## When to use it

| Use HTTP API when                          | Use Action instead                                          |
| ------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| The API is custom or internal              | The integration exists in Pipedream                         |
| Bearer-token auth is sufficient            | You want OAuth managed automatically                        |
| You need full control over the raw request | The app has complex configuration handled better via Action |

## Inspector fields

| Field                    | Description                                                       |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Method**               | `GET`, `POST`, `PUT`, `PATCH`, `DELETE`, `HEAD`, `OPTIONS`        |
| **URL**                  | Full URL — supports expressions like `{{ ctx.input.contact_id }}` |
| **Add headers**          | Key-value pairs for request headers                               |
| **Add query parameters** | Key-value pairs appended to the URL                               |

For `POST`, `PUT`, and `PATCH` requests, a body editor appears for the request payload.

## What lands in ctx

After the step runs, it adds to `ctx` under the step's name:

```json theme={null}
{
  "n4": {
    "status_code": 200,
    "headers": { "content-type": "application/json" },
    "body": { "id": "c_123", "first_name": "Alice", "tier": "gold" }
  }
}
```

Reference downstream:

```
{{ n4.status_code }}
{{ n4.body.first_name }}
```

## Examples

### Authenticated GET with query params

URL: `https://api.example.com/contacts`

Headers:

```
Authorization: Bearer {{ ctx.input.crm_token }}
Accept: application/json
```

Query parameters:

```
email: {{ ctx.input.customer_email }}
```

### POST with a dynamic JSON body

Method: `POST`
URL: `https://api.example.com/tickets`

Body:

```json theme={null}
{
  "subject": "Call with {{ n3.contact_name }}",
  "duration": "{{ n3.duration }}",
  "status": "open"
}
```

### AI-generated request body

```json theme={null}
{
  "subject": "${ write a one-line ticket subject for this call: {{ n4.transcript }} }",
  "summary": "${ summarize this call in 3 sentences: {{ n4.transcript }} }",
  "priority": "${ pick a priority (low|normal|high) for this call: {{ n4.transcript }} }"
}
```

## Limits

| Limit             | Value                                        |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| Request timeout   | 30 seconds                                   |
| Max response size | 10 MB                                        |
| Blocked addresses | Private IPs, loopback, multicast, link-local |