Getting Started with cURL

What is cURL ?

cURL is a tool that lets you send messages to a server from the terminal.

Instead of clicking links in a browser, cURL allows you to type a command and directly ask a server for information. It does the same job as a browser, but without buttons or visuals—just pure communication. You send a request. The server sends a response.
That’s what cURL does.

Why programmers need cURL

Programmers work with servers all the time, especially when building APIs and backend systems.

cURL is useful because it allows developers to:

Test APIs quickly
Check if a server is responding correctly
Send data to a server without writing code
Understand how requests and responses work behind the scenes

It’s fast, simple, and available on almost every system.

Making your first request using cURL

simplest cURL command looks like this:

curl https://example.com
This command asks the server for the webpage at that address.
The server sends back the content, and cURL prints it directly in the terminal.

You just made your first request—no setup, no extra options.

Understanding request and response

Every cURL command follows the same pattern.

Request

A request is what you send to the server.
It includes:

• Where you are sending the request (URL)

• What you want to do (get data or send data)

Response

A response is what the server sends back.
It usually includes:

• A status code (to tell if the request worked)

• Data (the information you asked for)

For example:

• 200 means the request was successful

• 404 means the resource was not found

• 500 means the server had a problem

Using cURL to talk to APIs

APIs are servers designed to be used by programs instead of browsers.
cURL is commonly used to communicate with them.

At a basic level, APIs mainly use two request types:

GET

Used to retrieve data from a server.
curl https://api.github.com

POST

Used to send data to a server.

You don’t need to master this immediately—just know that GET asks for data and POST sends data.

Common mistakes beginners make with cURL

When starting out, it’s normal to make mistakes such as:

• Using the wrong request type

• Forgetting that servers return status codes

• Expecting browser-style output

• Trying advanced options too early

The best way to learn cURL is to start simple and build gradually.