Node.js Http2ServerRequest close Event

Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2026

The Http2ServerRequest close event is emitted when the underlying HTTP/2 stream associated with the request is closed. It allows the server to detect the end of a request, making it useful for performing cleanup tasks or finalizing operations after the request is no longer active.

  • It is emitted when the underlying Http2Stream is closed.
  • It belongs to the Http2ServerRequest class in Node.js HTTP/2.
  • It is triggered automatically by the HTTP/2 request lifecycle.

Syntax:

request.on('close', listener);

Where:

  • request: An instance of Http2ServerRequest.
  • 'close': The event emitted when the request's underlying HTTP/2 stream is closed.
  • listener: The callback function executed when the close event occurs.

Return Value: Returns the Http2ServerRequest instance, enabling method chaining.

Example 1:

JavaScript 
// Node.js program to demonstrate the
// Http2ServerRequest close event method

const http2 = require('http2');
const fs = require('fs');

// Private key and public certificate for access
const options = {
  key: fs.readFileSync('private-key.pem'),
  cert: fs.readFileSync('public-cert.pem'),
};

// Creating and initializing server
// by using http2.createServer() method
const server = http2.createServer(options);

server.on('stream', (stream, requestHeaders) => {

  // Creating and initializing the http2 server request
  const request = new http2.Http2ServerRequest(stream)

  // Emitting close event
  request.on('close' , () => {
    console.log("request is closed")
  })

  // Setting additional header 
  // by using additionalHeaders() method
  stream.additionalHeaders({ ':status': 100, 'content-type': 
  'text/plain' });

  stream.end("the end");

  // Closing the stream event
  stream.close();
  
  // Stopping the server
  // by using the close() method
  server.close(() => {
    console.log("server destroyed");
  })
});

server.listen(8000);

// Creating and initializing client
// by using tls.connect() method
const client = http2.connect('http://localhost:8000');

const req = client.request({ ':method': 'GET', 
':path': '/' });

// Emitting header event
req.on('headers', (headers, flags) => {
  console.log(headers);
});

req.on('data', (data) => {
  console.log('Received: %s ',
  data.toString().replace(/(\n)/gm,""));
});

req.on('end', () => {
  client.close(() => {
    console.log("client destroyed");
  })
});

Output:

request is closed
[Object: null prototype] {
  ':status': 100,
  'content-type': 'text/plain'
}
Received: the end
client destroyed
server destroyed

Example 2:

JavaScript 
// Node.js program to demonstrate the
// Http2ServerRequest close event method

const http2 = require('http2');
const fs = require('fs');

// Private key and public certificate for access
const options = {
  key: fs.readFileSync('private-key.pem'),
  cert: fs.readFileSync('public-cert.pem'),
};

// Creating and initializing server
// by using http2.createServer() method
const server = http2.createServer(options);

server.on('stream', (stream, requestHeaders) => {

  // Creating and initializing the http2 server request
  const request = new http2.Http2ServerRequest(stream)

  // Emitting close event
  request.on('close' , ()=>{
    console.log("request is closed")
  })

  // Setting additional header 
  // by using additionalHeaders() method
  stream.additionalHeaders({ 
    ':status': 100, 
    'content-type': 'text/plain' 
  });

  // Getting rst stream code
  // by using sentInfoHeaders method
  const status = stream.sentInfoHeaders;

  console.log(status)

  // Closing the stream event
  stream.close();
  
  // Stopping the server
  // by using the close() method
  server.close(() => {
    console.log("server destroyed");
  })
});

server.listen(8000);

// Creating and initializing client
// by using tls.connect() method
const client = http2.connect(
    'http://localhost:8000');

const req = client.request({ 
  ':method': 'GET', ':path': '/' });

// Emitting header event
req.on('headers', (headers, flags) => {
  console.log(headers);
  client.close();
});

Output:

[
  [Object: null prototype] {    
    ':status': 100,
    'content-type': 'text/plain'
  }
]
request is closed
[Object: null prototype] {
  ':status': 100,
  'content-type': 'text/plain'
}
server destroyed

Use Cases of Http2ServerRequest close Event:

  • Cleaning up resources after a request ends.
  • Detecting when an HTTP/2 request has been closed.
  • Finalizing request-related operations.
  • Logging request completion or closure events.

Reference: https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v12.x/docs/api/http2.html#http2_event_close_2

Comment

Explore