How to Send GET Requests with cURL

CURL is a command-line tool that allows making HTTP requests to test APIs and supports a wide range of options and protocols, making it a powerful tool for tasks like downloading files, testing APIs, and performing various network-related tasks. In this section, we'll see how to use cURL to send GET requests.

If you want to know more about cURL, recommend reading this article:

What is cURL and What is the cURL Command Used for?

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What is an HTTP GET Request?

A GET request is one of the HTTP methods used by the World Wide Web. It is a type of request that a client (such as a web browser) makes to a web server to retrieve or get data from a specified resource. In simpler terms, a GET request is used when you want to retrieve information from a server.

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When you enter a URL into a web browser and press Enter, the browser typically sends a GET request to the server specified in the URL. This request asks the server to provide the requested resource, which could be a web page, an image, a file, or any other type of data.

Here's a basic example of a Curl GET request:

curl -X GET https://api.example.com/resource

In this example:

• curl: invokes the cURL command.
• -X GET: specifies that it's a GET request (though it's optional as cURL defaults to GET if not specified explicitly).
• https://api.example.com/resource: is the URL of the resource you're requesting.

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How to Send GET Requests with cURL

To send a GET request using cURL, you can use the curl command in your terminal or command prompt. Here's a basic example:

curl https://www.example.com

This simple command sends a GET request to https://www.example.com and prints the server's response to the terminal.

You can also include various options and additional parameters with the cURL command. Here are a few examples:

Step 1. Adding Headers:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" https://api.example.com/data

In this example, the -H option is used to include an Authorization header with a bearer token.

Step 2. Following Redirects:

curl -L https://www.example.com

The -L option tells cURL to follow redirects. If the server responds with a redirect (HTTP status code 3xx), cURL will automatically request the new location.

Step 3. Saving Output to a File:

curl -o output.html https://www.example.com

The -o option is used to save the output to a file. In this case, the response from the server will be saved to a file named output.html.

Step 4. Passing Query Parameters:

curl "https://api.example.com/data?param1=value1&param2=value2"

You can include query parameters in the URL to send additional information to the server. This helps validate that the API returns the correct status code like 200 OK.

Apidog: A Visual Way to Send GET Request

Although cURL is an open-source tool, it may be difficult to use at once for developers unfamiliar with command line calls. But do not worry, introducing a more intuitive white can also quickly learn the way, that is to use Apidog.

Apidog streamlines API processes with testing, debugging, design, mocking, and documentation tools. Its user-friendly interface fosters collaboration, optimizing API testing and facilitating JSON/XML schema creation.

Notably, Apidog excels in customizable, visually appealing API response documentation and user-friendly testing tools with assertions and testing branches.

The Guide on How to Send GET Requests in Apidog

1. Sign Up or download: Download the Apidog platform for Windows, Mac or Linux.

2.  Import cURL Commands: Access the Apidog import window. Paste cURL commands into the text box for seamless integration. Then utilize any package capture tool.

3. Configure Request parameters: Navigate to the API body. Set the frequency of API headers, body, and other settings.

4. Test and Refine: Send the API to receive a response. Review logs, analyze performance metrics, and optimize automated API calls for reliability and efficiency.

Conclusion

For beginners, the GUI-based tool Apidog is recommended, offering an intuitive interface for easy API requests. Apidog is compatible with cURL, allowing seamless import and export of commands.

While Apidog is user-friendly, cURL provides richer functionality. For optimal results, using both tools together is suggested: Apidog for simplicity and cURL for advanced features.