Unable to get request body in middleware

Questions and Answers Strapi Backend
1
System Information
  • Strapi Version: 3.2.5
  • Operating System: Ubuntu 20.04
  • Database: PostgreSQL
  • Node Version: 14.13.0
  • NPM Version: -
  • Yarn Version: -

I have managed to make middleware work in Strapi. But, I can’t see the body in the request.

Inside /middlewares/getEmail/index.js, I Have

module.exports = (strapi) => {
      return {
        initialize: function (cb) {
          strapi.app.use(async (ctx, next) => {
            if (ctx.method === "POST" && ctx.url === "/email-leads") {
              console.log(ctx);
            }
            await next();
          });
        },
      };
};

and ctx request logs:

  request: {
    method: 'POST',
    url: '/email-leads',
    header: {
      'content-type': 'application/json',
      accept: 'application/json',
      'user-agent': 'PostmanRuntime/7.26.8',
      'postman-token': 'xxx',
      host: 'localhost:1337',
      'accept-encoding': 'gzip, deflate, br',
      connection: 'keep-alive',
      'content-length': '33'
    }
  },

This is the only middleware I have written on this application. In the /config/middleware.js, I have

module.exports = {
  load: {
    before: ["getEmail", "responseTime", "logger", "cors", "responses", "gzip"],
    order: ["parser"],
    after: ["router"],
  },
  settings: {
    getEmail: {
      enabled: true,
    },
  },
};

I read about this koa-body/unparsed.js to read the body but there’s literally no body in the ctx.request. Thanks for help.

1 Like
2

Well, in this case, you should put your middleware at the end of all core middleware, after body parser.

after: ["parser","router","getEmail"],

Also, from your code is clear that you should not use middlewares in this case, because you use them only for a single route:

if (ctx.method === "POST" && ctx.url === "/email-leads") {
              console.log(ctx);
            }

You should use policies, and it must be used only for POST /email-leads route, take a look at the attached link to find the policies documentation.

1 Like
3

It’s due to when the middleware is loaded, can you try moving it into the after array?

1 Like
4

Hi, thanks for taking time. I have changed it to this

module.exports = {
  load: {
    before: ["responseTime", "logger", "cors", "responses", "gzip"],
    after: ["parser", "router", "getEmail"],
  },
  settings: {
    getEmail: {
      enabled: true,
    },
  },
};

Still didn’t have body in request.

request: {
    method: 'POST',
    url: '/email-leads',
    header: {
      'content-type': 'application/json',
      accept: 'application/json',
      'user-agent': 'PostmanRuntime/7.26.8',
      'postman-token': 'b1886cff-70e1-4ed5-87fd-3125f8d6adf0',
      host: 'localhost:1337',
      'accept-encoding': 'gzip, deflate, br',
      connection: 'keep-alive',
      'content-length': '32'
    }
  },

Then, I have used the policy as suggested.

module.exports = async (ctx, next) => {
  console.log(ctx, "policy");
  return await next();
};

But unfortunately, I still get the same request. As I see, the content-length is 32. which is exactly the body I send if /n is included.

{
“email”: “test@test.com”
}

I am copying the whole ctx log in case it might be showing something that I can’t see.

{
  request: {
    method: 'POST',
    url: '/email-leads',
    header: {
      'content-type': 'application/json',
      accept: 'application/json',
      'user-agent': 'PostmanRuntime/7.26.8',
      'postman-token': 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx',
      host: 'localhost:1337',
      'accept-encoding': 'gzip, deflate, br',
      connection: 'keep-alive',
      'content-length': '32'
    }
  },
  response: {
    status: 404,
    message: 'Not Found',
    header: [Object: null prototype] {
      vary: 'Origin',
      'strict-transport-security': 'max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains',
      'x-frame-options': 'SAMEORIGIN'
    }
  },
  app: { subdomainOffset: 2, proxy: false, env: 'development' },
  originalUrl: '/email-leads',
  req: '<original node req>',
  res: '<original node res>',
  socket: '<original node socket>'
}
5

Thanks for the suggestion. I have put it in the after array. In all possible indices, it just gave the same request

6

Can you try console.log(ctx.request.body)

The object is not present when outputting the ctx, but it is there.

1 Like
7

Yes, worked. Shocked, actually. I’ll just use the Policy. But, is there documentation to understand how these middlewares should be put in before - order - after?

Interesting it is there and not shown in console.log. Thanks for your answer.

Overall, to read the request body in the middleware, I have tried to put getEmail in after array and I can reach the request body if I place the middleware after parser middleware or to the end as @sunnyson suggests.

1 Like
8

Try:

module.exports = async (ctx, next) => {
  await next();
  console.log(ctx, "policy");
};

Also @sunnyson is also correct, the ctx is a prototype so the values aren’t logged unless you specify them.

9

Actually, it worked as above @DMehaffy, but yes it must be the reason why ctx.body is not logged. Thanks.

10

Middlewares are loaded twice during the request chain:

BEFORE => Any code before the await next()
AFTER => Any code after the await next()

This also applies to route policies, I won’t break down the full Koa request chain but the gist goes something like:

  • User makes request
  • Koa “stuff”
  • Koa middlewares (before)
  • Users permissions plugin
  • Check policies (before)
  • Controller (handler)
  • Service
  • DB Stuff
  • Reverse Chain
  • policies (after)
  • middleware (after)
  • Koa stuff
  • User gets response
1 Like