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Home / Tutorials / How to Send GET Requests with cURL

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. In this section, we'll see how to use cURL to send GET requests.

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?
What is cURL in API?“Curl” stands for “Client for URLs” and is a command-line tool and library for transferring data with URLs. It is widely used for making HTTP requests to interact with web APIs.

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.

An Ultimate Guide on HTTP GET with Request Body
In HTTP, you might wonder why GET doesn’t use a request body, unlike other methods. This guide explains why and how to use GET requests.

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.
Top 12 cURL Commands with Examples
cURL offers powerful features for HTTP/HTTPS requests. Ideal for automation, these commands facilitate user authentication, proxy support, and more. This guide will help you learn how to use various options with curl commands.

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

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.
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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.

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

Configure Automation 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.

Aend GET API

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.

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