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

Curlie is a powerful command-line tool that acts as a frontend to curl, integrating the user-friendly interface aspects of httpie. It simplifies tasks like sending HTTP requests and working with APIs, making it an ideal choice for developers who need to fetch or submit data over the web without getting lost in complex syntaxes. By blending the simplicity of httpie with the versatility of curl, Curlie provides an intuitive way to handle a variety of scenarios, from basic data retrieval to using custom headers in requests.

Use case 1: Send a GET request

Code:

curlie httpbin.org/get

Motivation:

A GET request is the most common HTTP request used to retrieve data from a server. This use case is fundamental for accessing web resources and data, making it a perfect starting point for understanding how to interact with web APIs using Curlie.

Explanation:

• curlie: The command itself, which initiates the use of Curlie to interact with the specified web server.
• httpbin.org/get: This is the target URL endpoint for the GET request, which is a public testing service that allows you to simulate HTTP requests and responses. It is used to demonstrate what happens when a GET request is made.

Example output:

{
  "args": {}, 
  "headers": {
    "Accept": "*/*", 
    "Host": "httpbin.org", 
    "User-Agent": "curl/7.x.x"
  }, 
  "origin": "xx.xx.xx.xx", 
  "url": "http://httpbin.org/get"
}

Use case 2: Send a POST request

Code:

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

Motivation:

A POST request is typically used to submit data to a server, such as when filling out a form or uploading a file. Understanding how to execute a POST request is crucial for any process where data needs to be sent to a server for processing, allowing interaction with web applications and APIs.

Explanation:

• curlie: Starts the Curlie command-line tool.
• post: A keyword indicating that the type of request to be made is a POST request.
• httpbin.org/post: The URL endpoint for the POST request. This URL will echo the data you send to it, allowing you to see the response.
• name=john: A key-value pair sent as part of the POST request data, where name is the key and john is the value.
• age:=25: Another key-value pair, where age is the key and 25 is the numeric value. The := indicates that the value is a number and not a string.

Example output:

{
  "args": {}, 
  "data": "", 
  "files": {}, 
  "form": {
    "age": "25", 
    "name": "john"
  }, 
  "headers": {
    "Accept": "*/*", 
    "Content-Length": "15", 
    "Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded", 
    "Host": "httpbin.org", 
    "User-Agent": "curl/7.x.x"
  }, 
  "json": null
}

Use case 3: Send a GET request with query parameters

Code:

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

Motivation:

GET requests with query parameters enable the caller to send additional information to the server side, allowing them to filter, sort, or modify the response to suit their needs. This use case demonstrates the practical aspect of passing query parameters, which are frequently needed when retrieving data via APIs.

Explanation:

• curlie: Initiates the tool.
• get: Indicates that a GET request should be performed.
• httpbin.org/get: The URL endpoint to be queried.
• first_param==5: A query parameter where first_param is the parameter name and 5 is its value. The == denotes it as part of the query string.
• second_param==true: Another query parameter with second_param as the key and true as the boolean value.

Example output:

{
  "args": {
    "first_param": "5", 
    "second_param": "true"
  }, 
  "headers": {
    "Accept": "*/*", 
    "Host": "httpbin.org", 
    "User-Agent": "curl/7.x.x"
  }, 
  "origin": "xx.xx.xx.xx", 
  "url": "http://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:

Custom headers in HTTP requests are a crucial feature for various tasks like authentication, content negotiation, or even specifying user-agent strings. This use case illustrates how to attach custom headers to requests, enabling greater flexibility and control over HTTP communication.

Explanation:

• curlie: Launches the command-line tool.
• get: Specifies that a GET request should be performed.
• httpbin.org/get: The URL endpoint to which the request is addressed.
• header-name:header-value: A custom header, where header-name is the name of the header, and header-value is its assigned value. This syntax indicates that the value should be included in the request’s header.

Example output:

{
  "args": {}, 
  "headers": {
    "Accept": "*/*", 
    "Header-Name": "header-value", 
    "Host": "httpbin.org", 
    "User-Agent": "curl/7.x.x"
  }, 
  "origin": "xx.xx.xx.xx", 
  "url": "http://httpbin.org/get"
}

Conclusion:

Curlie provides an intuitive and powerful means of handling HTTP requests in the command line, combining the flexibility of curl with the user-friendly design of httpie. Through examples of GET and POST requests, along with the use of query parameters and custom headers, Curlie demonstrates its versatility and efficiency, making it a valuable tool for developers working with web APIs and HTTP requests.