Description

Fixes #6801

This PR resolves an issue where requests would hang indefinitely when maxRedirects = 0 and the target server is unresponsive. In such cases, Axios failed to enforce the configured timeout, resulting in no error being thrown and the request never settling.

Problem

When maxRedirects = 0, Axios bypasses the follow-redirects library and directly uses Node.js native http/https modules. In this execution path:

• The configured timeout was not consistently enforced
• Requests to unresponsive servers could hang indefinitely
• The promise would neither resolve nor reject, and the catch block would never execute

Additionally, when maxRedirects > 0, timeout-related failures could produce inconsistent error messages such as "aborted" instead of a proper timeout error.

Solution

This PR introduces a robust and consistent timeout handling mechanism in lib/adapters/http.js, ensuring correct behavior across all redirect configurations.

Key Improvements

1. Consistent Timeout Enforcement
   Timeout is now always applied regardless of the maxRedirects value.

2. Socket-Level Timeout Handling
   A timeout is attached to the underlying socket to handle cases where the connection stalls before the request is fully established.

3. Improved Request Timeout Logic

   • Uses req.destroy() with a proper AxiosError instead of relying on abort()
   • Ensures consistent error message:
     timeout of <X>ms exceeded
   • Standardizes timeout error code to ETIMEDOUT

4. Safe Error Handling

   • Introduces a guard (isDone flag) to prevent multiple error emissions
   • Ensures only a single rejection occurs per request

Changes

• Enforced timeout handling for both redirect and non-redirect flows
• Added socket-level timeout support
• Replaced abort-based timeout handling with req.destroy()
• Standardized timeout error message and error code
• Prevented duplicate error emissions using a guard flag

Testing

The following scenarios have been verified:

• Timeout is triggered when maxRedirects = 0
• Timeout is triggered when maxRedirects > 0
• Requests no longer hang indefinitely
• Error message is consistent (timeout of Xms exceeded)
• Error code is always ETIMEDOUT
• No duplicate error events are emitted

Backward Compatibility

This change is fully backward compatible. It does not modify the public API and only improves internal timeout handling behavior.

Related Issues

Closes #6801

Summary by cubic

Enforces timeouts in the Node http/https adapter even when maxRedirects = 0, preventing hangs on unresponsive servers. Also supports timeoutErrorMessage and transitional.clarifyTimeoutError for consistent timeout errors.

Description

• Enforce timeout in all paths using req.setTimeout and socket setTimeout; use req.destroy() on timeout.
• Prevent double error emission in the request error handler.
• Respect timeoutErrorMessage and transitional.clarifyTimeoutError for parity with XHR.
• Fixes When axios request sets maxRedirects=0 and encounters an unresponsive website, it will not execute further. #6801. No public API changes.

Testing

• No tests added.
• Tests needed:
  • Timeout triggers with maxRedirects = 0 and > 0 without hanging.
  • Custom timeoutErrorMessage is used when provided.
  • Error code follows transitional.clarifyTimeoutError.
  • No duplicate error emissions on timeout.

^{Written for commit 98f841f. Summary will update on new commits.}