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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteTo make an HTTP request with curl, enter curl followed by a URL in your terminal. For example, curl https://example.com/ sends a GET request and prints the response body. Add options when you need to inspect headers, send data, set request headers, upload a file, or diagnose a failure.
What curl does—and what it does not
curl is a command-line tool for transferring data to or from a server using a URL. An HTTP request can include a method such as GET, POST, or HEAD, request headers, and sometimes a body. The server responds with a status line, response headers, and usually a body. [curl HTTP scripting guide]
curl transfers the response; it does not render HTML like a browser or automatically interpret an API’s application data. The endpoint’s contract determines which method, headers, body format, authentication, and permissions are valid. Option availability can also depend on your installed curl version and build; check curl --help or your system’s man page for details. [curl HTTP scripting guide]
Make a basic GET request
Open a terminal and run:
curl https://example.com/A plain URL request uses GET by default. Unless you direct it elsewhere, curl writes the response body to standard output, so you will see it in the terminal. To save it to a named file, use -o:
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curl -o response.html https://example.com/Use -O to save the response under the filename given by the remote URL:
curl -O https://example.com/For an API, replace the example URL with the endpoint you need. A successful transfer does not by itself prove the application returned the result you wanted; inspect the HTTP status and response content too. [curl tutorial]
Inspect status and response headers
Request headers only with HEAD
curl -I https://example.com/-I makes a HEAD request, which asks for response headers without the response body. Some servers reject HEAD even when the corresponding GET works, so a failed HEAD response does not necessarily mean the page cannot be retrieved. [curl HTTP scripting guide]
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Show headers alongside the response body
curl -i https://example.com/-i includes the returned response headers in the output along with the body. It does not change the request into HEAD. [curl tutorial]
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Write response headers to a separate file
curl -D headers.txt https://example.com/-D writes response headers to the file you name, while the response body continues to standard output unless you also save it. Use this when you want to inspect headers without mixing them into the returned content. [curl man page]
Set request headers
Use -H or --header to add or replace a request header. For example, to ask an API for JSON:
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curl -H 'Accept: application/json' https://api.example.com/itemsUse the header the endpoint expects. An empty header value can suppress a header curl would otherwise send, so do not copy header overrides casually—especially when changing authentication, cookies, or other security-sensitive headers. [curl HTTP scripting guide]
Send data with POST
Submit form-style data
curl -d 'name=Sam&role=editor' https://api.example.com/items-d (also called --data) sends a POST body. By default, curl uses the form content type application/x-www-form-urlencoded. URL-encode values when necessary; the server decides which fields and formats it accepts. [curl tutorial]
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Send JSON
curl -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"name":"Sam"}' https://api.example.com/itemsHere, the content type tells the server that the body is JSON. Match both the body and its content type to the API’s documented requirements; curl cannot determine what the endpoint expects. [curl tutorial]
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Preserve the bytes of a body
Use --data-binary when you need curl to send data without the transformations associated with ordinary -d handling, including preserving newlines. It also uses the form content type by default, so set a different Content-Type header if the server expects one. [curl tutorial]
Choose the method behavior that matches the action
- GET: request a resource; a plain URL is enough for the common case.
- HEAD: request headers without a response body; use
-I. - POST: send data in a request body; use
-dfor typical data submissions. - Upload: use
-Tor--upload-file. For HTTP, this typically uses PUT, and the server must be configured to accept the upload.
-X or --request changes the method string curl sends; it does not change curl’s transfer behavior to match that method. For example, -X HEAD alone does not perform a proper HEAD transfer. Prefer the action option that implements the transfer you want. [curl HTTP scripting guide] [curl man page]
Follow redirects without leaking credentials
When an endpoint redirects, curl’s method and header behavior matters. A custom -X method can remain in use across redirects, potentially causing unintended requests. Sensitive headers may also reach another server in relevant redirect configurations. Check the destination before forwarding credentials or cookies, and do not use --location-trusted casually. [curl man page] [curl known risks]
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Troubleshoot a request
See request and response details
curl -v https://example.com/Verbose mode displays protocol details that can help you see what curl sent and how the server responded. For a more detailed trace, write an ASCII trace to a file:
curl --trace-ascii trace.txt https://example.com/Check the response status and headers before concluding that a transfer succeeded. Verbose and trace output may include tokens, cookies, credentials, or personal data. Protect diagnostic files and redact sensitive values before sharing them. [curl HTTP scripting guide] [curl known risks]
Common symptoms and fixes
- The server rejects the request: Confirm the endpoint’s required method, authentication, headers, body format, and permissions. The server’s API documentation—not curl—defines these requirements.
- HEAD fails but the URL works in a browser: Some servers reject HEAD. Try a normal GET and inspect the result with
-i. - The response is not shown in the terminal: Check whether you used
-oor-O, which save the response body to a file. - JSON is rejected or parsed incorrectly: Check that the body is valid JSON and that the request includes the content type the API expects.
- An upload does not work: Use
-Tor--upload-fileand verify that the server accepts uploads using the method and permissions required. - A redirected request behaves unexpectedly: Review the redirect destination, method, and headers. Avoid forwarding credentials or cookies to an untrusted host.
Or skip the browser setup
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Learn more and check your installed version
For options and version-specific behavior, use curl --help or the man page installed with your curl build. The official curl documentation describes Everything curl as a free online book that is also available as a PDF.
Quick Recap
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