The Http2ServerResponse.removeHeader() method in Node.js removes a previously set response header before the headers are sent to the client. It is useful for preventing unwanted headers from being included in the HTTP/2 response or updating the response configuration before it is finalized.
- It removes a specific response header by its name.
- It only works before the response headers are sent.
- It helps modify or clean up response headers when needed.
Syntax:
response.removeHeader(name)Where:
- response: The
Http2ServerResponseobject used to send the HTTP/2 response. - name: The name of the response header to remove.
Return Value: The method returns undefined. It removes the specified response header if it exists.
Example 1:
// Node.js program to demonstrate the
// Http2ServerResponse.removeHeader() 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'),
};
// Request and response handler
const http2Handlers = (request, response) => {
// Setting new header
response.setHeader(
'Content-Type',
'hello world; charset=utf-8'
);
console.log("Before operation")
console.log(response.getHeaders());
// Removing particular header
// by using removeHeader() method
const value = response.removeHeader('Content-Type')
console.log("\nAfter operation")
console.log(response.getHeaders());
};
// Creating and initializing server
// by using http2.createServer() method
const server = http2.createServer(options,http2Handlers);
server.on('stream', (stream, requestheader) => {
stream.write('hello ');
// Getting all information of this http2stream object
// by using state method
const status = stream.state;
stream.end("priority weight : " + status.weight);
// 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': '/'});
req.on('response', (responsesocket) => {
console.log("status : " + responsesocket[":status"]);
});
req.on('data', (data) => {
console.log('Received: %s ',
data.toString().replace(/(\n)/gm,""));
});
req.on('end', () => {
client.close(() => {
console.log("client destroyed");
})
});
Output:
Before operation
{ 'content-type': 'hello world; charset=utf-8' }
After operation
{}
status : 200
Received: hello
Received: priority weight : 16
client destroyed
server destroyed
Example 2:
// Node.js program to demonstrate the
// Http2ServerResponse.removeHeader() 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'),
};
// Request and response handler
const http2Handlers = (request, response) => {
// Setting new header
response.setHeader('Foo', 'bar');
response.setHeader('Set-Cookie', ['foo=bar', 'bar=baz']);
console.log("Before operation")
console.log(response.getHeaders());
// Removing particular header
// by using removeHeader() method
const value = response.removeHeader('Foo')
console.log("\nAfter operation")
console.log(response.getHeaders());
};
// Creating and initializing server
// by using http2.createServer() method
const server = http2.createServer(options, http2Handlers);
server.on('stream', (stream, requestHeaders) => {
// Getting all information of this http2stream object
// by using state method
const status = stream.state;
stream.end("The sum weight of all Http2Stream : " +
status.sumDependencyWeight);
// 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': '/www.geeksforgeeks.org' });
req.on('data', (data) => {
console.log('Received: %s ',
data.toString().replace(/(\n)/gm,""));
});
req.on('end', () => {
client.close(() => {
console.log("client destroyed");
})
});
Output:
Before operation
{ foo: 'bar', 'set-cookie': [ 'foo=bar', 'bar=baz' ] }
After operation
{ 'set-cookie': [ 'foo=bar', 'bar=baz' ] }
Received: The sum weight of all Http2Stream : 0
client destroyed
server destroyed
Use Cases of Http2ServerResponse.removeHeader() Method
- It removes headers that are no longer needed before sending the response.
- It prevents sensitive or unnecessary headers from being sent to the client.
- It updates response headers when request handling logic changes.
- It helps customize the final set of headers for different responses.
Reference: https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v12.x/docs/api/http2.html#http2_response_removeheader_name
