cURL Command Generator

GETPOSTPUTPATCH DELETEHEADOPTIONS

Headers Body Auth Options

About This Tool

This cURL Command Generator builds HTTP requests in four output formats — cURL, JavaScript fetch(), Python requests, and HTTPie — from a single visual form. Instead of remembering flag syntax or looking up library APIs, you configure your request once and get a copy-paste snippet in any language you need. All generation happens entirely in your browser; no data is ever sent to a server.

Whether you are testing a REST API during development, sharing reproducible requests with teammates, or documenting endpoints in a README, this tool eliminates the friction of hand-writing HTTP client code.

What is cURL?

cURL (short for "Client URL") is a command-line tool for transferring data using various network protocols. Created by Daniel Stenberg in 1998, it is installed by default on macOS, most Linux distributions, and Windows 10+. It supports HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, and dozens of other protocols.

cURL is the de facto standard for testing APIs from the terminal. When API documentation provides example requests, they are almost always written as cURL commands because they are universal, self-contained, and reproducible on any operating system.

Practical Examples You Can Copy

1. Simple GET Request

Fetch a list of users from a public API:

curl -s \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users"

2. POST with JSON Body

Create a new resource by sending JSON data:

curl -X POST \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -d '{"name": "Jane Doe", "email": "[email protected]"}' \
  "https://api.example.com/users"

3. PUT to Update a Resource

Update an existing user's profile:

curl -X PUT \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -d '{"name": "Jane Smith"}' \
  "https://api.example.com/users/42"

4. DELETE with API Key Authentication

Remove a resource using a custom API key header:

curl -X DELETE \
  -H "X-API-Key: sk_live_abc123def456" \
  "https://api.example.com/users/42"

5. Form-Encoded POST (Login)

Submit a traditional HTML-style form:

curl -X POST \
  -F "username=admin" \
  -F "password=secret123" \
  "https://app.example.com/login"

6. Download a File

Save a remote file to your local disk:

curl -L -o report.pdf \
  "https://files.example.com/reports/2024-q4.pdf"

Common cURL Flags Reference

These are the most frequently used flags when working with cURL. All of them are supported by the generator above.

When Developers Actually Use This

API Development: When building a new REST API, you need to test endpoints as you code. Instead of switching to Postman or writing throwaway scripts, you can build the request here, copy the cURL command, and paste it directly into your terminal. When the endpoint works, switch the output tab to "Python requests" or "fetch (JS)" to generate the client code for your frontend or integration tests.

Documentation: API documentation lives and dies by its examples. A well-formed cURL command in your docs lets any developer — regardless of their preferred language — verify that your API works. This tool formats multi-line cURL commands with proper continuation characters (\) that are immediately copy-pasteable.

Debugging Production Issues: When a webhook fails or an API integration breaks, the first step is often to replay the exact request. Reconstructing the cURL command with the right method, headers, auth token, and body from log data is tedious by hand. This tool lets you fill in the fields visually and get the command instantly.

Code Reviews and Sharing: Pasting a cURL command in a Slack message or pull request description is the fastest way to show a teammate exactly what request you are making. It is unambiguous, language-neutral, and immediately runnable.

cURL vs Alternatives

The advantage of this generator is that you build your request once and can switch between all four output formats instantly. Write the request visually, grab the cURL for your terminal, then switch to "Python requests" for your integration code — all from the same configuration.

Related Developer Tools

Pair this generator with our other free tools for a complete API development workflow.