Dont assume JSON accept header when json: true

[alirussell]

https://github.com/tomas/needle/blob/master/lib/needle.js#L355

Is causing issues for me on a specific API, and although its partly the way that I'm using needle and partly the bad implementation of the API, i think that you shouldn't assume that sending a JSON body should result in a JSON response.

In my particular case, the api in question is the Promoter.io add contact API (http://docs.promoter.apiary.io/#reference/contacts/add-a-contactupdate-contact-attributes/add-a-contact/update-contact-attributes). Im POSTing data to this in JSON, and it returns JSON data, but for some reason it doesn't like accept: application/json, it only likes accept: */* or accept: application/vnd.promoterio.v1.0 (its weird content type it returns, which is just JSON).

The problem I'm having is where I'm using the needle library, its not really possible to modify the json: true option to false, and this is forcing the accept: application/json header and I'm getting 406 responses.

While this is a pretty obscure issue, i don't think you should force the header to accept: application/json. The line above checks if accept is non standard (*/*), but you don't check to see if the default */* is actually passed in to the call. If the user specifically sets */* as a header, you should probably respect that and not then change it.

Make any sense ? :|

[tomas]

Yep, I think it does. In the meantime you could try setting the accept header to something different than */* so Needle respects your decision and doesn't override it.

needle.post('some/url', data, { json: true, accept: 'application/vnd.promoterio.v1.0' })

An alternative method is to skip setting json: true and do the work yourself. Something like:

needle.post('some/url', JSON.stringify(data), { content_type: 'application/json' })

[tomas]

Oh, sorry. There's no shortcut for the content_type header. The last example should be:

needle.post('some/url', JSON.stringify(data), { headers: { content_type: 'application/json' } })

[tomas]

Ok, just pushed an update and new version to npm. It should take care of the scenario you describe. :)

[alirussell]

Thanks @tomas! i had already used the first suggestion of setting accept to application/vnd.promoterio.v1.0 but good to have it fixed, as it was causing a lot of confusion for a while (although thats the APIs fault really).

[tomas]

You're welcome @alirussell. Always glad to be of service, specially when I have some spare time, haha.