httpx Authentification docs reference non-existing class

The Fix

Upgrade to version 0.27.1 or later.

Based on closed encode/httpx issue #3203 · PR/commit linked

Production note: Most teams hit this during upgrades or environment changes. Roll out with a canary and smoke critical endpoints (health, OpenAPI/docs) before 100%.

Open PR/Commit

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 ```pycon
->>> auth = httpx.BasicAuthentication(username="username", password="secret")
+>>> auth = httpx.BasicAuth(username="username", password="secret")
 >>> client = httpx.Client()

fix.md

Option A — Upgrade to fixed release\nUpgrade to version 0.27.1 or later.\nWhen NOT to use: This fix should not be used if the documentation is already updated or if the class name is correct.\n\n

Why This Fix Works in Production

Trigger: The [auth docs](https://www.python-httpx.org/advanced/authentication/) reference `httpx.BasicAuthentication()` 3 times, but this class does not exist, it…
Mechanism: Fixes a typo in the authentication documentation, replacing references to the non-existing class `httpx.BasicAuthentication` with the correct class `httpx.BasicAuth`.
Why the fix works: Fixes a typo in the authentication documentation, replacing references to the non-existing class `httpx.BasicAuthentication` with the correct class `httpx.BasicAuth`. (first fixed release: 0.27.1).

Production impact:

If left unfixed, the same config can fail only in production (env differences), causing startup failures or partial feature outages.

Why This Breaks in Prod

Production symptom (often without a traceback): The [auth docs](https://www.python-httpx.org/advanced/authentication/) reference `httpx.BasicAuthentication()` 3 times, but this class does not exist, it should be replaced with `httpx.BasicAuth()`.

Proof / Evidence

GitHub issue: #3203
Fix PR: https://github.com/encode/httpx/pull/3112
First fixed release: 0.27.1
Reproduced locally: No (not executed)
Last verified: 2026-02-09
Confidence: 0.85
Did this fix it?: Yes (upstream fix exists)
Own content ratio: 0.74

Discussion

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

Jump to Sources Open on GitHub

“It looks like such a PR was already merged: https://github.com/encode/httpx/pull/3112/files There is also a discussion about this: https://github.com/encode/httpx/discussions/3137 So most likely the docs are just…”

@alexprengere · 2024-06-06 · confirmation · source

“Oh thanks for noticing. Would you like to submit a PR resolving this?”

@lovelydinosaur · 2024-06-06 · source

Failure Signature (Search String)

The [auth docs](https://www.python-httpx.org/advanced/authentication/) reference `httpx.BasicAuthentication()` 3 times, but this class does not exist, it should be replaced with

Copy-friendly signature

signature.txt

Failure Signature
-----------------
The [auth docs](https://www.python-httpx.org/advanced/authentication/) reference `httpx.BasicAuthentication()` 3 times, but this class does not exist, it should be replaced with `httpx.BasicAuth()`.

Error Message

Signature-only (no traceback captured)

error.txt

Error Message
-------------
The [auth docs](https://www.python-httpx.org/advanced/authentication/) reference `httpx.BasicAuthentication()` 3 times, but this class does not exist, it should be replaced with `httpx.BasicAuth()`.

What Broke

Users encountered errors when trying to use the non-existing authentication class in the documentation.

Fix Options (Details)

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

Upgrade to version 0.27.1 or later.

When NOT to use: This fix should not be used if the documentation is already updated or if the class name is correct.

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/3112

First fixed release: 0.27.1

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

When NOT to Use This Fix

This fix should not be used if the documentation is already updated or if the class name is correct.

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
0.27.1	Fixed

Related Issues

No related fixes found.

Cluster: httpx:configuration-error All hubs All clusters

Related clusters: Data consistency Other Timeout

Sources

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

httpx Authentification docs reference non-existing class (Fix)