httpx Add `data=...` to API. (Fix)

The Fix

Upgrade to version 0.7.2 or later.

Based on closed encode/httpx issue #28 · PR/commit linked

Open PR/Commit

@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def build_redirect_request(self, request: Request, response: Response) -> Reques
         headers = self.redirect_headers(request, url)
         content = self.redirect_content(request, method)
-        return Request(method=method, url=url, headers=headers, content=content)
+        return Request(method=method, url=url, headers=headers, data=content)

fix.md

Option A — Upgrade to fixed release\nUpgrade to version 0.7.2 or later.\nWhen NOT to use: Do not use this fix if the application requires the original content argument behavior.\n\n

Why This Fix Works in Production

Trigger: We probably want to change things around so that our current `content` argument supporting bytes or async bytes iterator becomes `data` instead, and supports…
Mechanism: The content argument in the Request class was changed to data to support URL encoded data
Why the fix works: Adds support for URL encoded data in requests by changing the content argument to data. (first fixed release: 0.7.2).

Why This Breaks in Prod

The content argument in the Request class was changed to data to support URL encoded data
Production symptom (often without a traceback): We probably want to change things around so that our current `content` argument supporting bytes or async bytes iterator becomes `data` instead, and supports bytes, or async bytes iterator, or dict.

Proof / Evidence

GitHub issue: #28
Fix PR: https://github.com/encode/httpx/pull/44
First fixed release: 0.7.2
Reproduced locally: No (not executed)
Last verified: 2026-02-09
Confidence: 0.85
Did this fix it?: Yes (upstream fix exists)
Own content ratio: 0.67

Discussion

High-signal excerpts from the issue thread (symptoms, repros, edge-cases).

Jump to Sources Open on GitHub

“An initial pass here would probably be to *only* support URL encoded data initially. We probably want to change things around so that our current content argument supporting bytes or async bytes iterator becomes data instead, and supports b”

Issue thread · issue description · source

Failure Signature (Search String)

We probably want to change things around so that our current `content` argument supporting bytes or async bytes iterator becomes `data` instead, and supports bytes, or async bytes

Copy-friendly signature

signature.txt

Failure Signature
-----------------
We probably want to change things around so that our current `content` argument supporting bytes or async bytes iterator becomes `data` instead, and supports bytes, or async bytes iterator, or dict.

Error Message

Signature-only (no traceback captured)

error.txt

Error Message
-------------
We probably want to change things around so that our current `content` argument supporting bytes or async bytes iterator becomes `data` instead, and supports bytes, or async bytes iterator, or dict.

What Broke

Requests were failing to send URL encoded data, causing unexpected behavior.

Why It Broke

The content argument in the Request class was changed to data to support URL encoded data

Fix Options (Details)

Option A — Upgrade to fixed release Safe default (recommended)

Upgrade to version 0.7.2 or later.

When NOT to use: Do not use this fix if the application requires the original content argument behavior.

Use when you can deploy the upstream fix. It is usually lower-risk than long-lived workarounds.

Fix reference: https://github.com/encode/httpx/pull/44

First fixed release: 0.7.2

Last verified: 2026-02-09. Validate in your environment.

When NOT to Use This Fix

Do not use this fix if the application requires the original content argument behavior.

Did This Fix Work in Your Case?

Quick signal helps us prioritize which fixes to verify and improve.

Prevention

Add a CI check that diffs key outputs after upgrades (OpenAPI schema snapshots, JSON payload shapes, CLI output).
Upgrade behind a canary and run integration tests against the canary before 100% rollout.

Version Compatibility Table

Version	Status
0.7.2	Fixed

Related Issues

No related fixes found.

Cluster: httpx:other All hubs All clusters

Related clusters: Configuration error Data consistency Timeout

Sources

We don’t republish the full GitHub discussion text. Use the links above for context.