Request.java

class Request {

    private URI linkToCheck;
    private WebDriver driver;

    Request() {
    }

    void setURIToCheck(String linkToCheck) throws URISyntaxException {
        this.linkToCheck = new URI(linkToCheck);
    }

    int getHTTPStatusCodeFromResponse() throws IOException {
        return getHttpResponse().getStatusLine().getStatusCode();
    }

    private HttpResponse getHttpResponse() throws IOException {
        HttpClient client = initializeHttpClient();
        BasicHttpContext httpContext = new BasicHttpContext();
        if (driver != null) {
            addCookies(httpContext);
        }
        HttpRequestBase request = buildRequest();

        return client.execute(request, httpContext);
    }

    private HttpClient initializeHttpClient() {
        return HttpClientBuilder
                .create()
                .setRedirectStrategy(new LaxRedirectStrategy())
                .build();
    }

    private HttpRequestBase buildRequest() {
        HttpRequestBase requestMethod = new HttpGet();
        requestMethod.setURI(this.linkToCheck);

        return requestMethod;
    }
  }