HttpResponse object in Django - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ component_behavior

intermediate

What does this Django view return?

Consider this Django view function. What is the output when a client requests this view?

Django

from django.http import HttpResponse

def my_view(request):
    response = HttpResponse('Hello World', content_type='text/plain')
    response.status_code = 201
    return response

A A JSON response with body 'Hello World' and HTTP status 200

B A plain text response with body 'Hello World' and HTTP status 201

C A plain text response with body 'Hello World' and HTTP status 200

D A plain text response with empty body and HTTP status 201

💡 Hint

Look at the content_type and status_code set on the HttpResponse object.

The HttpResponse is created with 'Hello World' as content and content_type 'text/plain'. The status_code is explicitly set to 201, so the response will have that status code.

📝 Syntax

intermediate

Which option correctly creates an HttpResponse with a custom header?

You want to return an HttpResponse with the header 'X-Custom: 123'. Which code snippet does this correctly?

A

response = HttpResponse('data')
response.set_header('X-Custom', '123')

B response = HttpResponse('data', headers={'X-Custom': 123})

C

response = HttpResponse('data')
response.headers['X-Custom'] = '123'

D

response = HttpResponse('data')
response['X-Custom'] = '123'

💡 Hint

HttpResponse headers are set like dictionary keys on the response object.

Option D correctly sets the header by assigning to response['X-Custom']. Option D is invalid because HttpResponse does not accept a headers argument. Option D is invalid because response.headers attribute does not exist. Option D is invalid because set_header method does not exist.

❓ state_output

advanced

What is the content of this HttpResponse after modification?

Given this code, what will be the final content of the HttpResponse object?

Django

response = HttpResponse('Start')
response.content += b' Middle'
response.content = response.content.replace(b'Start', b'Begin')
response.content += b' End'

A b'Begin Middle End'

B b'Start Middle End'

C b'Begin Middle'

D b'Start Middle'

💡 Hint

HttpResponse.content is bytes, so string operations must use bytes.

Initially content is b'Start'. Adding b' Middle' makes it b'Start Middle'. Replacing b'Start' with b'Begin' changes it to b'Begin Middle'. Adding b' End' results in b'Begin Middle End'.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Why does this HttpResponse raise an error?

This code raises an error. What is the cause?

Django

response = HttpResponse()
response.content = 'Hello World'
print(response.content)

A ValueError because content cannot be empty

B AttributeError because content attribute is read-only

C TypeError because HttpResponse.content expects bytes, not str

D No error, prints 'Hello World'

💡 Hint

HttpResponse.content expects bytes, not a string.

HttpResponse.content must be bytes. Assigning a string causes a TypeError when Django tries to process it.

🧠 Conceptual

expert

What happens if you set HttpResponse.status_code to 404 after returning it?

If you create an HttpResponse and return it from a view, then later in middleware you set response.status_code = 404, what will the client receive?

A The client receives the response with status code 404

B The client receives the original status code set in the view

C The client receives a 500 Internal Server Error

D The status code change is ignored and client receives 200

💡 Hint

HttpResponse objects are mutable until sent to the client.

HttpResponse objects can be modified after creation and before sending. Changing status_code in middleware affects the final response sent to the client.