How to Use the Command 'http-prompt' (with examples)

http-prompt is an interactive command-line HTTP client that offers an intuitive way to interact with web services. Featuring powerful autocomplete and syntax highlighting capabilities, this tool provides a more seamless experience for developers and IT professionals who regularly work with HTTP requests. Its flexibility allows you to quickly test APIs and understand HTTP responses in real time. With easy customization and session management, http-prompt enhances productivity by making HTTP communication straightforward and less error-prone.

Use case 1: Launch a session targeting the default URL of http://localhost:8000 or the previous session

Code:

http-prompt

Motivation for using the example:
When developing and testing applications locally, especially those communicating over HTTP, you often want to quickly check the responses from your local server. With http-prompt, you can jump straight into a session without specifying a URL, making it easy to test your local development server running on http://localhost:8000. This use case is particularly beneficial if you often revisit previous sessions while developing and debugging locally, allowing you to resume without re-specifying the URL, maintaining continuity and efficiency.

Explanation of the command:

• http-prompt: By simply running http-prompt with no additional parameters, the command launches an interactive session targeting http://localhost:8000, assuming this is set as the default URL. If you have previously established a session, it will default to the last-used URL, seamlessly continuing from where you left off.

Example output:
Upon execution, the command opens an interactive shell prompt:

http://localhost:8000/> 

You’ll see a command prompt waiting for you to input HTTP commands like GET, POST, PUT, etc., to interact with your local server.

Use case 2: Launch a session with a given URL

Code:

http-prompt http://example.com

Motivation for using the example:
When testing or consuming web services hosted on various domains, it’s crucial to interact with them in a controlled environment. Whether accessing restful APIs from a famous public API for demonstration or consuming data from a partner’s web service, specifying an external URL directly and launching a session with http-prompt provides the flexibility to evaluate and debug HTTP communication without leaving the command line interface.

Explanation of the command:

• http-prompt http://example.com: This form of the command specifies http://example.com as the target URL for the interactive session. It directs the session explicitly to this endpoint, differing from the default behavior and allowing you to commence HTTP requests and inspect responses from this specific domain.

Example output:
Upon execution, an interactive shell prompt similar to the following is displayed:

http://example.com/> 

From here, you can utilize HTTP commands to interact and test responses from the example.com server.

Use case 3: Launch a session with some initial options

Code:

http-prompt localhost:8000/api --auth username:password

Motivation for using the example:
In scenarios where the API endpoint requires user authentication, testing API calls inherently becomes more complex because of the added layer of user verification. Using http-prompt with authentication options specified makes it efficient to test APIs that require user credentials directly from the command line. This is especially useful for developers needing to verify API responses under authenticated sessions or performing debugging on endpoints with restricted access.

Explanation of the command:

• http-prompt localhost:8000/api: Targets the specific API endpoint localhost:8000/api as the URL for the interactive session.
• --auth username:password: This option is for basic authentication and specifies the username and password required by the server for accessing protected resources. This allows immediate access to endpoints that necessitate authentication without additional manual setup steps.

Example output:
Upon entering the command, you receive an interactive shell suitable for executing HTTP commands like so:

http://localhost:8000/api/> 

You’ll then execute HTTP requests authenticated with the specified credentials, effectively accessing the necessary API resources.

Conclusion:

http-prompt serves as a powerful tool for developers, system administrators, and IT professionals who need to interact with HTTP APIs and test web service functionality. Its ability to launch sessions focused on specific URLs and handle authentication directly from the command line increases productivity and streamlines the testing process. Whether you’re launching a session to interact with local or remote URLs, http-prompt offers the versatility needed to test, debug, and explore HTTP communications efficiently.