Toolcroft

cURL Command Builder - Build and Copy cURL Commands

Developer Tools

Visually build cURL commands without memorising flags. Set the HTTP method, URL, headers, body (JSON, form, raw), and authentication, then copy the ready-to-run command.

Your inputs are saved in this browser only. No data is ever sent to a server, and saved values won't be visible in other browsers or devices.
curl \
  -L \
  -X GET \
  'https://api.example.com/endpoint'

How to use this tool

  1. Enter the HTTP method and URL.
  2. Add request headers and choose an authentication type.
  3. Select a body type and paste your request body if needed.
  4. Copy the generated cURL command and run it in your terminal.

cURL Command Reference

cURL is a command-line tool for making HTTP (and other protocol) requests. Common flags used by this builder: -X sets the method, -H adds a header, --data sets the request body, -u provides Basic credentials, and -L follows redirects.

Most common curl recipes

TaskCommand
GET requestcurl https://api.example.com/data
POST JSONcurl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"key":"value"}' https://api.example.com
POST form datacurl -X POST -d "name=Alice&age=30" https://example.com/form
Bearer token authcurl -H "Authorization: Bearer TOKEN" https://api.example.com
Basic authcurl -u username:password https://example.com
Follow redirectscurl -L https://example.com
Save to filecurl -o output.json https://api.example.com/data
Ignore SSL errors (dev only)curl -k https://self-signed.badssl.com

curl vs. wget

curl: Transfers data to/from a server. Supports many protocols (HTTP, FTP, SMTP). Better for APIs and single requests. Output goes to stdout by default.

wget: Downloads files from the web. Supports recursive downloads (entire websites). Automatically resumes interrupted downloads. Better for bulk file downloads. Output saves to disk by default.

Debugging tips

  • -v (verbose): Show request headers, response headers, and SSL handshake details.
  • --trace / --trace-ascii: Full protocol dump (binary or ASCII). Very detailed.
  • -I / --head: Fetch headers only, no body.
  • -w (write-out): Print timing stats like total time, DNS lookup time, connect time: -w "@curl-format.txt"
  • --compressed: Request and decompress gzip/deflate responses automatically.

Platform differences

Linux/Mac: Use single quotes around JSON strings to prevent shell interpretation: curl -d '{"key":"value"}'

Windows PowerShell/cmd: Single quotes are treated as literal characters. Use double quotes and escape inner quotes with backslashes: curl -d "{\"key\":\"value\"}" or use @file.json to read from a file.

Security Note

Credentials entered here never leave your browser. However, avoid sharing generated commands that contain real tokens or passwords in logs or public issue trackers.

Frequently asked questions

Is the generated command safe to run?

The command is built entirely in your browser. Always review commands before running them, especially when they contain authentication credentials.

What does --data vs --data-urlencode do?

--data sends the body as-is, while --data-urlencode percent-encodes special characters. Use --data for JSON or raw bodies; --data-urlencode for form fields.

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