Learn CURL with Real Code Examples

cURL lets you send HTTP requests and interact with remote servers directly from the terminal.

It supports uploading, downloading, authentication, cookies, headers, and more.

Used heavily in DevOps, backend development, API development, and networking.

HTTP requests (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH)

Custom headers and cookies

Sending and receiving data

Verbose and debug modes

FTP/FTPS/SFTP file operations

URLs and protocols

HTTP methods

Headers and cookies

Uploads and downloads

Authentication

scripts/ - stored reusable curl scripts

certs/ - TLS certificates

logs/ - verbose request logs

data/ - payload JSON files

docs/ - API endpoints and notes

Choose target URL

Add proper HTTP method

Attach headers or payload

Execute and debug with -v

Parse output with jq if needed

Beginner: simple GET requests

Intermediate: authenticated APIs

Advanced: file uploads & forms

Expert: debugging TLS/proxy issues

Enterprise: integrating curl in CI pipelines

More versatile than wget

More low-level than Postman

More scriptable than GUI tools

Not as simplified as httpie

Most widely supported HTTP tool available

1997 – First release

2000s – libcurl widely adopted

2010s – Huge security and TLS improvements

2020s – Still dominant in DevOps and APIs

Ongoing – Frequent releases and security fixes

HTTP method: type of request

Header: custom metadata

Payload: request body

TLS: encryption layer

Verbose mode: prints request/response