From 605eb306741d398fb720ce381f25e125b86c9281 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: FTCHD <144691102+FTCHD@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Mon, 25 May 2026 21:50:41 +0300
Subject: [PATCH] rc: respond with 202 if prefer-async header is passed

Make rc respond with a 202 status code (instead of 200) if `Prefer: respond-
async` was passed. Keeps backwards compatibility for current clients while also
allowing the OpenAPI schema & generators to differentiate the responses
properly.
---
 docs/content/rc.md              |  7 +++++
 fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver.go      | 15 +++++++++
 fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver_test.go | 55 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------
 3 files changed, 65 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/docs/content/rc.md b/docs/content/rc.md
index 4ae9c46f8..b4a99ffe3 100644
--- a/docs/content/rc.md
+++ b/docs/content/rc.md
@@ -267,6 +267,13 @@ It is recommended that potentially long running jobs, e.g. `sync/sync`,
 flag to avoid any potential problems with the HTTP request and
 response timing out.
 
+As an alternative to `_async`, you can send the HTTP header
+`Prefer: respond-async` (RFC 7240). This has the same effect as
+`_async = true` but additionally returns HTTP status 202 (Accepted)
+instead of 200, and includes a `Preference-Applied: respond-async`
+response header. The 202 status code makes it easy for clients to distinguish
+an async response from a completed one without inspecting the body.
+
 Starting a job with the `_async` flag:
 
 ```console
diff --git a/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver.go b/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver.go
index 6be026e18..0278e5089 100644
--- a/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver.go
+++ b/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver.go
@@ -257,6 +257,17 @@ func (s *Server) handlePost(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, path string)
 			return
 		}
 	}
+
+	// Check for Prefer: respond-async header (RFC 7240)
+	preferAsync := false
+	for _, pref := range strings.Split(r.Header.Get("Prefer"), ",") {
+		if strings.EqualFold(strings.TrimSpace(pref), "respond-async") {
+			preferAsync = true
+			in["_async"] = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Find the call
 	call := rc.Calls.Get(path)
 	if call == nil {
@@ -296,6 +307,10 @@ func (s *Server) handlePost(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, path string)
 
 	fs.Debugf(nil, "rc: %q: reply %+v: %v", path, out, err)
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	if preferAsync {
+		w.Header().Set("Preference-Applied", "respond-async")
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusAccepted)
+	}
 	err = rc.WriteJSON(w, out)
 	if err != nil {
 		// can't return the error at this point - but have a go anyway
diff --git a/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver_test.go b/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver_test.go
index 11b21d5f5..6854f7e97 100644
--- a/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver_test.go
+++ b/fs/rc/rcserver/rcserver_test.go
@@ -89,18 +89,19 @@ func TestRcServer(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 type testRun struct {
-	Name        string
-	URL         string
-	User        string
-	Pass        string
-	Status      int
-	Method      string
-	Range       string
-	Body        string
-	ContentType string
-	Expected    string
-	Contains    *regexp.Regexp
-	Headers     map[string]string
+	Name           string
+	URL            string
+	User           string
+	Pass           string
+	Status         int
+	Method         string
+	Range          string
+	Body           string
+	ContentType    string
+	Expected       string
+	Contains       *regexp.Regexp
+	Headers        map[string]string
+	RequestHeaders map[string]string
 }
 
 // Run a suite of tests
@@ -144,6 +145,9 @@ func emulateCalls(t *testing.T, tests []testRun, mux chi.Router, testURL string)
 			if test.User != "" && test.Pass != "" {
 				req.SetBasicAuth(test.User, test.Pass)
 			}
+			for k, v := range test.RequestHeaders {
+				req.Header.Set(k, v)
+			}
 
 			w := httptest.NewRecorder()
 			mux.ServeHTTP(w, req)
@@ -794,6 +798,33 @@ func TestRCAsync(t *testing.T) {
 		Body:        `{ "_async":true }`,
 		Status:      http.StatusOK,
 		Contains:    regexp.MustCompile(`(?s)\{.*\"jobid\":.*\}`),
+	}, {
+		Name:           "prefer-respond-async",
+		URL:            "rc/noop",
+		Method:         "POST",
+		ContentType:    "application/json",
+		Body:           `{ "_async":true }`,
+		RequestHeaders: map[string]string{"Prefer": "respond-async"},
+		Status:         http.StatusAccepted,
+		Contains:       regexp.MustCompile(`(?s)\{.*\"jobid\":.*\}`),
+	}, {
+		Name:           "prefer-without-async",
+		URL:            "rc/noop",
+		Method:         "POST",
+		ContentType:    "application/json",
+		Body:           `{}`,
+		RequestHeaders: map[string]string{"Prefer": "respond-async"},
+		Status:         http.StatusAccepted,
+		Contains:       regexp.MustCompile(`(?s)\{.*\"jobid\":.*\}`),
+	}, {
+		Name:           "prefer-respond-async-mixed",
+		URL:            "rc/noop",
+		Method:         "POST",
+		ContentType:    "application/json",
+		Body:           `{}`,
+		RequestHeaders: map[string]string{"Prefer": "wait=10, respond-async"},
+		Status:         http.StatusAccepted,
+		Contains:       regexp.MustCompile(`(?s)\{.*\"jobid\":.*\}`),
 	}, {
 		Name:        "bad",
 		URL:         "rc/noop",