---
title: "Custom HTTP Handler"
description: "Configure custom aiohttp sessions for better performance and control in LiteLLM completions."
type: skill
canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/http-handler-config
source: "Claudary"
difficulty: intermediate
author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack"
date: 2026-07-10T11:25:17.039Z
license: CC-BY-4.0
attribution: "Custom HTTP Handler — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/http-handler-config)"
---

# Custom HTTP Handler
Configure custom aiohttp sessions for better performance and control in LiteLLM completions.

## Overview

# Custom HTTP Handler

Configure custom aiohttp sessions for better performance and control in LiteLLM completions.

## Overview

You can now inject custom `aiohttp.ClientSession` instances into LiteLLM for:
- Custom connection pooling and timeouts
- Corporate proxy and SSL configurations  
- Performance optimization
- Request monitoring

## Basic Usage

### Default (No Changes Required)
```python
import litellm

# Works exactly as before
response = await litellm.acompletion(
    model="gpt-3.5-turbo",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
)
```

### Custom Session
```python
import aiohttp
import litellm
from litellm.llms.custom_httpx.aiohttp_handler import BaseLLMAIOHTTPHandler

# Create optimized session
session = aiohttp.ClientSession(
    timeout=aiohttp.ClientTimeout(total=180),
    connector=aiohttp.TCPConnector(limit=300, limit_per_host=75)
)

# Replace global handler
litellm.base_llm_aiohttp_handler = BaseLLMAIOHTTPHandler(client_session=session)

# All completions now use your session
response = await litellm.acompletion(model="gpt-3.5-turbo", messages=[...])
```

## Common Patterns

### FastAPI Integration
```python
from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
from fastapi import FastAPI
import aiohttp
import litellm

@asynccontextmanager
async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
    # Startup
    session = aiohttp.ClientSession(
        timeout=aiohttp.ClientTimeout(total=180),
        connector=aiohttp.TCPConnector(limit=300)
    )
    litellm.base_llm_aiohttp_handler = BaseLLMAIOHTTPHandler(
        client_session=session
    )
    yield
    # Shutdown
    await session.close()

app = FastAPI(lifespan=lifespan)

@app.post("/chat")
async def chat(messages: list[dict]):
    return await litellm.acompletion(model="gpt-3.5-turbo", messages=messages)
```

### Corporate Proxy
```python
import ssl

# Custom SSL context
ssl_context = ssl.create_default_context()
ssl_context.load_cert_chain('cert.pem', 'key.pem')

# Proxy session
session = aiohttp.ClientSession(
    connector=aiohttp.TCPConnector(ssl=ssl_context),
    trust_env=True  # Use environment proxy settings
)

litellm.base_llm_aiohttp_handler = BaseLLMAIOHTTPHandler(client_session=session)
```

### High Performance
```python
# Optimized for high throughput
session = aiohttp.ClientSession(
    timeout=aiohttp.ClientTimeout(total=300),
    connector=aiohttp.TCPConnector(
        limit=1000,             # High connection limit
        limit_per_host=200,     # Per host limit
        ttl_dns_cache=600,      # DNS cache
        keepalive_timeout=60,   # Keep connections alive
        enable_cleanup_closed=True
    )
)

litellm.base_llm_aiohttp_handler = BaseLLMAIOHTTPHandler(client_session=session)
```

## Constructor Options

```python
BaseLLMAIOHTTPHandler(
    client_session=None,    # Custom aiohttp.ClientSession
    transport=None,         # Advanced transport control
    connector=None,         # Custom aiohttp.BaseConnector
)
```

## Resource Management

- **User sessions**: You manage the lifecycle (call `await session.close()`)
- **Auto-created sessions**: Automatically cleaned up by the handler
- **100% backward compatible**: Existing code works unchanged

## Configuration Tips

### Development
```python
session = aiohttp.ClientSession(
    timeout=aiohttp.ClientTimeout(total=60),
    connector=aiohttp.TCPConnector(limit=50)
)
```

### Production
```python
session = aiohttp.ClientSession(
    timeout=aiohttp.ClientTimeout(total=300),
    connector=aiohttp.TCPConnector(
        limit=1000,
        limit_per_host=200,
        keepalive_timeout=60
    )
)
```

---

Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/http-handler-config) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com