Replicate Python SDK Broken on httpx — Fix ImportError or Switch to NexaAPI (2026)

ImportError: cannot import name 'Proxy' from 'httpx'

File ".../site-packages/replicate/_types.py", line 34, in <module>

from httpx import URL, Proxy, Timeout, Response, BaseTransport, AsyncBaseTransport

If you're seeing this error, you're not alone. GitHub issue #457 has been open since early 2026. The Replicate Python SDK uses httpx internally — and when httpx removed the Proxy class in newer versions, the SDK broke.

Who's Affected

•Upgraded Python to 3.13+
•Ran pip install --upgrade httpx (or any dependency that pulls in a newer httpx)
•Fresh installs where pip resolves to a newer httpx version
•Docker containers with updated base images

Temporary Fix: Pin httpx

The quickest workaround is to downgrade httpx to a version before the breaking change:

# Downgrade httpx — works but creates dependency hell

pip install "httpx==0.28.1" replicate

⚠️ Warning: Pinning httpx to an old version may break other libraries in your project (OpenAI SDK, LangChain, FastAPI clients, etc.). This is a band-aid, not a fix.

Why This Keeps Happening

The Replicate Python SDK has a pattern of breaking due to dependency conflicts:

•v1.0.0 breaking change: replicate.run() now returns FileOutput objects instead of URLs
•httpx compatibility: SDK breaks when httpx is updated (open issue as of March 2026)
•v2.0.0b1 beta: New replicate.use() interface, replicate.stream() deprecated
•Python 3.14: Incompatibility due to Pydantic V1 usage (open issue)

Every few months, something breaks. If you're building a production app, this is maintenance overhead you shouldn't have to carry.

Permanent Fix: Migrate to NexaAPI in 5 Minutes

NexaAPI has its own clean Python SDK with minimal dependencies — no httpx, no FileOutput objects, no module-level restrictions. Works on Python 3.8+.

Python — Works on Python 3.8+

# Install NexaAPI — no httpx version pinning required

# pip install nexaapi

from nexaapi import NexaAPI

client = NexaAPI(api_key='YOUR_API_KEY')

# Generate an image — clean, simple, no dependency conflicts

response = client.image.generate(

model='flux-schnell', # same model available on Replicate

prompt='A futuristic cityscape at sunset',

width=1024, height=1024

)

print(response.url) # Direct URL — no httpx conflicts, cost: $0.003

JavaScript / Node.js

// Install: npm install nexaapi

import NexaAPI from 'nexaapi';

const client = new NexaAPI({ apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY' });

async function generateImage() {

const response = await client.image.generate({

model: 'flux-schnell',

prompt: 'A futuristic cityscape at sunset',

width: 1024, height: 1024

});

return response.url; // Migrated from Replicate in under 5 minutes

}

Before vs After

# BEFORE (Replicate — broken on newer httpx)

import replicate

# ImportError: cannot import name 'Proxy' from 'httpx'

output = replicate.run(

"black-forest-labs/flux-schnell",

input={"prompt": "A sunset over mountains"}

)

image_url = output[0].url

# FileOutput object — extra complexity

# AFTER (NexaAPI — works on any Python 3.8+)

from nexaapi import NexaAPI

client = NexaAPI(api_key='YOUR_NEXAAPI_KEY')

response = client.image.generate(

model='flux-schnell',

prompt='A sunset over mountains'

)

image_url = response.url

# Direct URL, no dependency issues

Replicate vs NexaAPI: Full Comparison

Issue	Replicate	NexaAPI
httpx Compatibility	⚠️ Broken on newer httpx	✅ No httpx dependency
Python Version Support	⚠️ Issues on Python 3.13+	✅ Python 3.8+ fully supported
Breaking Changes	v1.0.0 (FileOutput), v2 beta	✅ Stable, versioned API
Dependency Conflicts	Known httpx + other conflicts	✅ Minimal, clean dependencies
Image Price	~$0.003–$0.055/image	✅ $0.003/image
Models Available	100k+ community models	50+ curated, stable models
Free Tier	Limited	✅ 100 free calls

Pricing Comparison

Model	Replicate	NexaAPI	Savings
Flux Schnell	~$0.003/image	$0.003/image	Same price, no dependency hell
SDXL	~$0.005/image	$0.003/image	40% cheaper
Flux 2 Pro	~$0.055/image	$0.020/image	63% cheaper
Video generation	~$0.10+/run	$0.03/run	70% cheaper

Get Started with NexaAPI — No Dependency Hell

100 free API calls, no credit card required. Works on Python 3.8+, no httpx version pinning.

🌐 Get Free API Key 🛒 RapidAPI Hub

pip install nexaapi → pypi.org/project/nexaapi

npm install nexaapi → npmjs.com/package/nexaapi

Reference: Replicate Python SDK Issue #457 — Replicate and newer httpx

Replicate Python SDK Broken on httpx — Fix the ImportError or Switch to NexaAPI