---
title: "system.net.httpPost"
description: "Retrieves the document at the given URL using the HTTP POST protocol."
---

# system.net.httpPost

> Retrieves the document at the given URL using the HTTP POST protocol.

This function is used in **Python Scripting**.

## Description
Retrieves the document at the given URL using the HTTP POST protocol. If a parameter dictionary argument is specified, the entries in the dictionary will encoded in "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" format, and then posted. You can post arbitrary data as well, but you'll need to specify the MIME type. The document is then returned as a string.

Keep in mind that JRE proxy settings will influence how these functions conduct their network activities. When using a non-bundled JRE, this is typically set via the Java Control Panel. 

## Client Permission Restrictions
This scripting function has no [Client Permission](projects\project-properties\project-properties.md#client---permissions) restrictions.

## Syntax #1
`system.net.httpPost(url, postParams)`

### Parameters

|Type|Parameter|Description|
|--|--|--|
|String |`url`| The URL to post to.|
|PyDictionary| `postParams`| A dictionary of name: value key pairs to use as the post data.|

### Returns

**String** - The content returned for the POST operation.

### Scope

All

## Syntax #2
`system.net.httpPost(url, contentType, postData, connectTimeout, readTimeout, username, password, headerValues, bypassCertValidation, throwOnError)`

### Parameters

|Type|Parameter|Description|
|--|--|--|
|String| `url` | The URL to post to.|
|String| `contentType` | [Optional]The MIME type to use in the HTTP "Content-type" header.|
|String |`postData`| The raw data to post via HTTP.|
|Integer| `connectTimeout` | The timeout for connecting to the url. In milliseconds. Default is 10,000.|
|Integer| `readTimeout`| The read timeout for the get operation. In milliseconds. Default is 60,000.|
|String| `username` | If specified, the call will attempt to authenticate with basic HTTP authentication.|
|String| `password`| The password used for basic http authentication, if the username parameter is also present.|
|PyDictionary |`headerValues` | [Optional] A dictionary of name/value pairs that will be set in the http header.|
|Boolean |`bypassCertValidation`| [Optional] If the target address is an HTTPS address, and this parameter is True,the system will bypass all SSL certificate validation. This is not recommended, though is sometimes necessary for self-signed certificates.|
|Boolean| `throwOnError`| [Optional] Set to False if you wish to get the error body rather than a python exception if the POST request returns an error code (non-200 responsive). Default is True.|

### Returns

**String** - The content returned for the POST operation.

### Scope

All

If you are using JSON, check out the [system.util.jsonEncode](appendix/scripting-functions/system-util/system-util-jsonEncode.md) and [system.util.jsonDecode](appendix/scripting-functions/system-util/system-util-jsonDecode.md).

## Code Examples
```python title="Code Snippet"
# This code posts a name (first and last) to the post testing page at
# "http://www.snee.com/xml/crud/posttest.cgi", and returns the resulting page
# as a string.
page = system.net.httpPost("http://www.snee.com/xml/crud/posttest.cgi", {"fname":"Billy", "lname":"Bob"})
print page
```
```python title="Code Snippet"
# This code sends an XML message to a hypothetical URL.
message = "<MyMessage><MyElement>here is the element</MyElement></MyMessage>"
system.net.httpPost("http://www.posttome.xyz/posthere", "text/xml", message)
```