If you are a developer, you’re probably familiar with POST requests. If not, here’s everything you need to know about it.
What Is a POST Request?
When interacting with web servers, the HTTP protocol enables various types of requests. A POST request is one such request which involves sending data to a server/network to build a new resource or update an existing one. You can access the data transferred to the network via the POST request as part of the request structure/body of the HTTP request. Because of this functionality, POST requests are widely used to perform operations-specific tasks like submitting a new form, uploading file to a new server, or making one or several API calls.
In this article, we will discuss curl POST request in detail and figure out how to perform a POST request using Curl.
How to Perform a POST Request Using Curl?
Curl can be best defined as a command-line resource that enables you to create one or multiple network requests. A Curl request typically supports several protocols and can be accessed through all leading operating systems. Because of this flexibility and scalability, many developers use Curl as a top choice across different platforms.
You can create a curl post request with various degrees of detail. Here’s how to do that.
Install Curl
If you’re wondering how to use Curl, as a first step, make Curl is installed on your system. You will find it for all leading operating systems and easily install it using package managers like apt, yum, or brew. Below is a list of how to install Curl in common operating systems:
- Linux (Ubuntu/Debian): Use the command “sudo apt update” and then “sudo apt install curl”
- Linux (Fedora/RHEL): Use the command “sudo yum install curl”
- macOS: Curl usually comes pre-installed on macOS. However, you can update it using Homebrew:
- Windows: Windows users can download the pre-built binaries from the official Curl website
Create the Request
To make a POST request using Curl, you need to specify the URL you want to send the request to and provide the data you want to send. This data could be in various formats like JSON, XML, or plain text.
Execute the Command
Once you’ve constructed the curl request, you can execute it using the Curl command-line interface. This sends the request to the specified URL along with the provided data.
Example Command: Here’s an example or method of how to perform a POST request using Curl:
bash
curl -X POST -H “Content-Type:
application/json” -d ‘{“key1″:”value1”, “key2″:”value2”}’ http://example.com/api/endpoint
In this command:
-X POST specifies that the request should be a POST request.
-H “Content-Type: application/json” sets the content type of the request to JSON.
-d ‘{“key1″:”value1”, “key2″:”value2”}’ sends the JSON data as the body of the request.
http://example.com/api/endpoint is the URL of the server and endpoint you’re sending the request to.
Inspect the Response
After executing the command, Curl will display the response from the server, including the status code and any returned data. This lets you verify successful requests and handle the response accordingly.
Bottom Line Overall, Curl is an excellent tool for raising HTTP requests from the command line, including POST requests. Thanks to our guidelines, you can now easily send jan data to a server and interact with APIs or web services across applications. Whether you’re testing an API endpoint, automating tasks, or debugging network issues, Curl is a seamless way to interact with HTTP servers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please read our Documentation if you have questions that are not listed below.
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What is Curl used for?
Curl is a command-line tool used for transferring data with URLs. Developers use this tool because it supports various protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and more, making it a top option for testing APIs, downloading files, and debugging network issues.
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What's the difference in data security of GET and POST requests?
GET requests are deemed more unsafe when compared to POST requests because the data in GET requests is visible in the URL. That is also one of the primary reasons why GET requests are not used when sharing passwords and other sensitive information. POST requests are considered safer than their GET counterparts because it doesn't store any data parameter in the browser history of the user. Unlike GET requests, you cannot see any user data in the URL for POST requests.
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How does Curl differ from other HTTP clients?
Unlike web browsers or graphical HTTP clients, Curl operates entirely from the command line, allowing for quick and scripted interactions with servers. It provides extensive options (like headers and formatting tweaks) and supports a wide range of protocols, making it a preferred tool for developers and sysadmins.
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What are some important notes/features of POST requests?
POST requests come with unique functionalities. For instance, you cannot cache a POST request or store them in browser history. Next, you cannot bookmark a POST request. Finally, you can share huge volumes of data using a POST request because it doesn't come with any limitations for the length of data.
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