Fetch: POST JSON data

I'm trying to POST a JSON object using fetch.

From what I can understand, I need to attach a stringified object to the body of the request, e.g.:

fetch("/echo/json/",
{
    headers: {
      'Accept': 'application/json',
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    method: "POST",
    body: JSON.stringify({a: 1, b: 2})
})
.then(function(res){ console.log(res) })
.catch(function(res){ console.log(res) })

When using jsfiddle's JSON echo I'd expect to see the object I've sent ({a: 1, b: 2}) back, but this does not happen - chrome devtools doesn't even show the JSON as part of the request, which means that it's not being sent.


With ES2017 async/await support, this is how to POST a JSON payload:

(async () => {
  const rawResponse = await fetch('https://httpbin.org/post', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'Accept': 'application/json',
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({a: 1, b: 'Textual content'})
  });
  const content = await rawResponse.json();

  console.log(content);
})();

Can't use ES2017? See @vp_art's answer using promises

The question however is asking for an issue caused by a long since fixed chrome bug.
Original answer follows.

chrome devtools doesn't even show the JSON as part of the request

This is the real issue here, and it's a bug with chrome devtools, fixed in Chrome 46.

That code works fine - it is POSTing the JSON correctly, it just cannot be seen.

I'd expect to see the object I've sent back

that's not working because that is not the correct format for JSfiddle's echo.

The correct code is:

var payload = {
    a: 1,
    b: 2
};

var data = new FormData();
data.append( "json", JSON.stringify( payload ) );

fetch("/echo/json/",
{
    method: "POST",
    body: data
})
.then(function(res){ return res.json(); })
.then(function(data){ alert( JSON.stringify( data ) ) })

For endpoints accepting JSON payloads, the original code is correct


I think your issue is jsfiddle can process form-urlencoded request only.

But correct way to make json request is pass correct json as a body:

fetch('https://httpbin.org/post', {
  method: 'post',
  headers: {
    'Accept': 'application/json, text/plain, */*',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({a: 7, str: 'Some string: &=&'})
}).then(res => res.json())
  .then(res => console.log(res));

From search engines, I ended up on this topic for non-json posting data with fetch, so thought I would add this.

For non-json you don't have to use form data. You can simply set the Content-Type header to application/x-www-form-urlencoded and use a string:

fetch('url here', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {'Content-Type':'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'}, // this line is important, if this content-type is not set it wont work
    body: 'foo=bar&blah=1'
});

An alternative way to build that body string, rather then typing it out as I did above, is to use libraries. For instance the stringify function from query-string or qs packages. So using this it would look like:

import queryString from 'query-string'; // import the queryString class

fetch('url here', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {'Content-Type':'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'}, // this line is important, if this content-type is not set it wont work
    body: queryString.stringify({for:'bar', blah:1}) //use the stringify object of the queryString class
});

After spending some times, reverse engineering jsFiddle, trying to generate payload - there is an effect.

Please take eye (care) on line return response.json(); where response is not a response - it is promise.

var json = {
    json: JSON.stringify({
        a: 1,
        b: 2
    }),
    delay: 3
};

fetch('/echo/json/', {
    method: 'post',
    headers: {
        'Accept': 'application/json, text/plain, */*',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: 'json=' + encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify(json.json)) + '&delay=' + json.delay
})
.then(function (response) {
    return response.json();
})
.then(function (result) {
    alert(result);
})
.catch (function (error) {
    console.log('Request failed', error);
});

jsFiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/egxt6cpz/46/ && Firefox > 39 && Chrome > 42


2021 answer: just in case you land here looking for how to make GET and POST Fetch api requests using async/await or promises as compared to axios.

I'm using jsonplaceholder fake API to demonstrate:

Fetch api GET request using async/await:

         const asyncGetCall = async () => {
            try {
                const response = await fetch('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts');
                 const data = await response.json();
                // enter you logic when the fetch is successful
                 console.log(data);
               } catch(error) {
            // enter your logic for when there is an error (ex. error toast)
                  console.log(error)
                 } 
            }


          asyncGetCall()

Fetch api POST request using async/await:

    const asyncPostCall = async () => {
            try {
                const response = await fetch('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts', {
                 method: 'POST',
                 headers: {
                   'Content-Type': 'application/json'
                   },
                   body: JSON.stringify({
             // your expected POST request payload goes here
                     title: "My post title",
                     body: "My post content."
                    })
                 });
                 const data = await response.json();
              // enter you logic when the fetch is successful
                 console.log(data);
               } catch(error) {
             // enter your logic for when there is an error (ex. error toast)

                  console.log(error)
                 } 
            }

asyncPostCall()

GET request using Promises:

  fetch('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts')
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(data => {
   // enter you logic when the fetch is successful
    console.log(data)
  })
  .catch(error => {
    // enter your logic for when there is an error (ex. error toast)
   console.log(error)
  })

POST request using Promises:

fetch('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
   body: JSON.stringify({
     // your expected POST request payload goes here
      title: "My post title",
      body: "My post content."
      })
})
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(data => {
   // enter you logic when the fetch is successful
    console.log(data)
  })
  .catch(error => {
  // enter your logic for when there is an error (ex. error toast)
   console.log(error)
  })  

GET request using Axios:

        const axiosGetCall = async () => {
            try {
              const { data } = await axios.get('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts')
    // enter you logic when the fetch is successful
              console.log(`data: `, data)
           
            } catch (error) {
    // enter your logic for when there is an error (ex. error toast)
              console.log(`error: `, error)
            }
          }
    
    axiosGetCall()

POST request using Axios:

const axiosPostCall = async () => {
    try {
      const { data } = await axios.post('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts',  {
      // your expected POST request payload goes here
      title: "My post title",
      body: "My post content."
      })
   // enter you logic when the fetch is successful
      console.log(`data: `, data)
   
    } catch (error) {
  // enter your logic for when there is an error (ex. error toast)
      console.log(`error: `, error)
    }
  }


axiosPostCall()