Mojo::UserAgent and local_address method

Question

I am new to Mojo::UserAgent (https://metacpan.org/pod/Mojo::UserAgent) , I am trying to explore its functions.

I found this function on the docs :

local_address
my $address = $ua->local_address;
$ua         = $ua->local_address('127.0.0.1');

Local address to bind to.

what is the use cases of using local_address method isn't this let you write shortcuts like this :

my $res = $ua->get('\index.html')->result;

instead of

my $res = $ua->get('127.0.0.1:80\index.html')->result;

or I am totally wrong and this method used on different use cases?

Answer 1

A HTTP connection is a TCP connection, which is a connection from a local address to a remote address. Usually the local address will be your loopback, and usually it's better not to specify it so the correct address can be chosen. This local_address attribute is passed through https://metacpan.org/pod/Mojo::IOLoop::Client#connect1 and then to https://metacpan.org/pod/IO::Socket::IP#LocalHost-=%3E-STRING.

So no, it does not affect the URL you request from (which by the way must use forward slashes as path separators and specify the protocol, like any absolute HTTP URL). A relative URL which omits the hostname and protocol will send a request to the server attribute which is how Test::Mojo and the get command can query a local Mojolicious application, but this does not have anything to do with requesting remote servers.