How to use the command 'curlie' (with examples)

Curlie is a frontend to the curl command that adds the ease of use of httpie. It provides a simpler and more user-friendly interface for making HTTP requests through the command line. The command is designed to make it easier for developers to interact with APIs and test web services.

Use case 1: Send a GET request

Code:

curlie httpbin.org/get

Motivation: The motivation for using this example is to demonstrate how to send a basic GET request using the curlie command. This is often the first step when interacting with an API or testing a web service.

Explanation:

• httpbin.org/get is the URL endpoint to which the GET request is being sent.

Example output:

{
  "args": {},
  "headers": {
    "Accept": "*/*",
    "Host": "httpbin.org",
    "User-Agent": "curlie/1.6.0"
  },
  "url": "https://httpbin.org/get"
}

Use case 2: Send a POST request

Code:

curlie post httpbin.org/post name=john age:=25

Motivation: This example demonstrates how to send a POST request using the curlie command. POST requests are commonly used to send data to a server, such as when submitting a form or creating a resource.

Explanation:

• post is the HTTP method used for the request.
• httpbin.org/post is the URL endpoint to which the request is being sent.
• name=john is the body data being sent in the request. This specifies the name parameter with the value “john”.
• age:=25 is another body parameter being sent in the request. This specifies the age parameter with the value 25.

Example output:

{
  "args": {},
  "data": "",
  "files": {},
  "form": {
    "age": "25",
    "name": "john"
  },
  "headers": {
    "Accept": "*/*",
    "Content-Length": "19",
    "Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded",
    "Host": "httpbin.org",
    "User-Agent": "curlie/1.6.0"
  },
  "json": null,
  "url": "https://httpbin.org/post"
}

Use case 3: Send a GET request with query parameters

Code:

curlie get httpbin.org/get first_param==5 second_param==true

Motivation: This example shows how to send a GET request with query parameters using the curlie command. Query parameters are used to filter or sort data when making a GET request.

Explanation:

• get is the HTTP method used for the request.
• httpbin.org/get is the URL endpoint to which the request is being sent.
• first_param==5 is the first query parameter. This specifies the first_param parameter with the value 5.
• second_param==true is the second query parameter. This specifies the second_param parameter with the value true.

Example output:

{
  "args": {
    "first_param": "5",
    "second_param": "true"
  },
  "headers": {
    "Accept": "*/*",
    "Host": "httpbin.org",
    "User-Agent": "curlie/1.6.0"
  },
  "url": "https://httpbin.org/get?first_param=5&second_param=true"
}

Use case 4: Send a GET request with a custom header

Code:

curlie get httpbin.org/get header-name:header-value

Motivation: This example demonstrates how to send a GET request with a custom header using the curlie command. Custom headers can be used to provide additional information or authentication tokens to the server.

Explanation:

• get is the HTTP method used for the request.
• httpbin.org/get is the URL endpoint to which the request is being sent.
• header-name:header-value is the custom header. This specifies the header-name header with the value header-value.

Example output:

{
  "args": {},
  "headers": {
    "Accept": "*/*",
    "Host": "httpbin.org",
    "Header-Name": "header-value",
    "User-Agent": "curlie/1.6.0"
  },
  "url": "https://httpbin.org/get"
}

Conclusion:

Curlie is a powerful command that simplifies the process of making HTTP requests through the command line. With its syntax inspired by httpie, it adds more convenience and usability to the well-known curl command. Whether you need to send a GET request, POST request, or customize headers, Curlie provides a straightforward way to interact with APIs and test web services.