Timeouts, Logging & Base URLs
Configure the HttpClient for production use.
Timeouts, Logging & Base URLs is a free Kotlin Multiplatform Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 4 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Kotlin Multiplatform Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The Kotlin Multiplatform Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.
Configure for Production
A real client needs configuration: timeouts so it never hangs, logging to debug, and a base URL to stay tidy.
Install Features as Plugins
You add behavior to the client using plugins, configured in the HttpClient builder block once for all requests.
val client = HttpClient { /* install plugins */ }Set Request Timeouts
Install the HttpTimeout plugin so a slow server fails fast instead of freezing your app forever.
install(HttpTimeout) { requestTimeoutMillis = 15000 }Connect and Socket Timeouts
The same plugin also sets a connectTimeoutMillis, capping how long Ktor waits to even reach the server.
connectTimeoutMillis = 10000Add Logging
The Logging plugin prints requests and responses, which is invaluable while debugging shared network code.
install(Logging) { level = LogLevel.BODY }Tune the Log Level
Pick a LogLevel like HEADERS or INFO to control noise, keeping verbose BODY logs out of release builds.
level = LogLevel.HEADERSSet a Base URL
Use defaultRequest to define a base URL once, so each call only needs the path that follows it.
install(DefaultRequest) { url("https://api.example.com") }Calls Get Shorter
With a base URL set, your requests pass only the relative path, which keeps shared code clean and DRY.
client.get("/users")Default Headers Too
defaultRequest can also attach shared headers, like a common API key, to every outgoing request automatically.
header("X-Api-Key", apiKey)Configure Once, Reuse
Set all this up a single time when you build the client, then reuse that one instance across the whole app.
Ship With Confidence
Timeouts, logging and a base URL turn a toy client into a production-ready one that behaves well on both platforms. 🙂
Quick Check
Which plugin stops a request from hanging forever?
Recap
Install HttpTimeout, Logging and DefaultRequest once in the client builder to add safety, visibility and a clean base URL for every call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the “Timeouts, Logging & Base URLs” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Timeouts, Logging & Base URLs” is free to read here on the web. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Kotlin Multiplatform Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO. The Kotlin Multiplatform Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.
What will I learn in “Timeouts, Logging & Base URLs”?
Configure the HttpClient for production use. You practise Kotlin Multiplatform Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start Kotlin Multiplatform Academy?
No prior experience is required. Kotlin Multiplatform Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 4 of 4.
How long does the “Timeouts, Logging & Base URLs” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this Kotlin Multiplatform Academy lesson?
Yes. Every Kotlin Multiplatform Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- Add Ktor & Pick Platform Engines
- Your First GET Request
- POST, Headers & Query Params
- Timeouts, Logging & Base URLs