How do I use the "Debug Network Request Failures" prompt?

Copy the prompt template, fill in the variables (REQUEST_URL, HTTP_METHOD, REQUEST_HEADERS, REQUEST_BODY, EXPECTED_RESPONSE, ERROR_MESSAGE, STATUS_CODE, RESPONSE_HEADERS, RESPONSE_BODY, ENVIRONMENT, LANGUAGE_FRAMEWORK, FAILURE_TIMELINE, RECENT_CHANGES, OTHER_ENVIRONMENTS), and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.

What AI tools work with this coding prompt?

This prompt works with chatgpt, claude, gemini. Simply copy and paste the template into any of these AI assistants.

Tips for getting the best results?

Always test with curl or Postman first to isolate whether it's a code issue or API issue Include timestamps and request IDs in your debugging information to help trace requests Check your API provider's status page and documentation for known issues Save working request examples for comparison when troubleshooting failures Implement proper logging to capture request/response details for future debugging

coding intermediate

Debug Network Request Failures

Systematically troubleshoot API calls, HTTP requests, and network issues with this comprehensive debugging prompt for developers.

Works with: chatgptclaudegemini

Prompt Template

You are an expert network debugging specialist. I need help troubleshooting a network request failure. Please analyze the following information systematically and provide a comprehensive debugging strategy. **Request Details:** - URL/Endpoint: [REQUEST_URL] - HTTP Method: [HTTP_METHOD] - Request Headers: [REQUEST_HEADERS] - Request Body/Payload: [REQUEST_BODY] - Expected Response: [EXPECTED_RESPONSE] **Error Information:** - Error Message/Code: [ERROR_MESSAGE] - Response Status Code: [STATUS_CODE] - Response Headers: [RESPONSE_HEADERS] - Response Body: [RESPONSE_BODY] - Environment: [ENVIRONMENT] - Programming Language/Framework: [LANGUAGE_FRAMEWORK] **Additional Context:** - When did this start failing: [FAILURE_TIMELINE] - What changed recently: [RECENT_CHANGES] - Does it work in other environments: [OTHER_ENVIRONMENTS] Please provide: 1. **Initial Analysis**: What the error likely indicates and potential root causes 2. **Systematic Debugging Steps**: A prioritized checklist of things to verify, from most likely to least likely causes 3. **Diagnostic Commands/Tools**: Specific commands, tools, or code snippets to gather more information 4. **Common Solutions**: Step-by-step fixes for the most probable causes 5. **Prevention Strategies**: How to avoid similar issues in the future 6. **Escalation Path**: When and how to escalate if basic troubleshooting doesn't resolve the issue Format your response clearly with actionable steps I can follow immediately.

Variables to Customize

[REQUEST_URL]

The full URL or API endpoint being called

Example: https://api.example.com/v1/users/123

[HTTP_METHOD]

The HTTP method being used

Example: POST

[REQUEST_HEADERS]

Headers sent with the request

Example: Content-Type: application/json, Authorization: Bearer abc123

[REQUEST_BODY]

The request payload or parameters

Example: {"name": "John Doe", "email": "john@example.com"}

[EXPECTED_RESPONSE]

What response you expected to receive

Example: 200 OK with user creation confirmation

[ERROR_MESSAGE]

The specific error message or code received

Example: Connection timeout after 30 seconds

[STATUS_CODE]

HTTP status code returned (if any)

Example: 504 Gateway Timeout

[RESPONSE_HEADERS]

Headers received in the response

Example: Server: nginx/1.18.0, Content-Type: text/html

[RESPONSE_BODY]

The actual response body received

Example: Gateway timeout error - upstream server failed to respond

[ENVIRONMENT]

The environment where the failure occurs

Example: Production environment, AWS us-east-1

[LANGUAGE_FRAMEWORK]

Programming language and framework being used

Example: Node.js with Express and Axios

[FAILURE_TIMELINE]

When the issue started occurring

Example: Started failing 2 hours ago, was working fine yesterday

[RECENT_CHANGES]

Any recent changes to code, infrastructure, or configuration

Example: Updated API client library from v2.1 to v3.0 this morning

[OTHER_ENVIRONMENTS]

Whether it works in other environments

Example: Works fine in staging environment, only fails in production

Example Output

## Initial Analysis The 504 Gateway Timeout error indicates that your application successfully reached the API gateway/load balancer, but the upstream server (actual API server) failed to respond within the timeout window. This is typically an infrastructure or server-side issue rather than a client-side problem. ## Systematic Debugging Steps 1. **Verify API Server Status**: Check if the target API service is operational 2. **Test Connectivity**: Confirm network connectivity to the endpoint 3. **Examine Load Balancer**: Check if load balancer/gateway is properly routing requests 4. **Review Timeout Settings**: Verify client and server timeout configurations 5. **Check Server Resources**: Monitor CPU, memory, and disk usage on API servers 6. **Analyze Request Patterns**: Look for traffic spikes or unusual request volumes ## Diagnostic Commands/Tools ```bash # Test basic connectivity curl -v https://api.example.com/v1/users/123 # Check DNS resolution nslookup api.example.com # Test with longer timeout curl --max-time 60 https://api.example.com/v1/users/123 ``` ## Common Solutions 1. **Increase timeout values** in your HTTP client configuration 2. **Retry logic**: Implement exponential backoff for failed requests 3. **Health check**: Contact your API provider about server status 4. **Alternative endpoint**: Test with a simpler endpoint to isolate the issue ## Prevention Strategies - Implement circuit breaker patterns - Set appropriate timeout values - Add comprehensive logging and monitoring - Use health check endpoints for proactive monitoring

Pro Tips for Best Results

Always test with curl or Postman first to isolate whether it's a code issue or API issue
Include timestamps and request IDs in your debugging information to help trace requests
Check your API provider's status page and documentation for known issues
Save working request examples for comparison when troubleshooting failures
Implement proper logging to capture request/response details for future debugging