How to Send a Header Using a HTTP Request Through a cURL Call

Summary: Learn how to send custom headers using cURL commands to make HTTP requests. This guide covers the syntax and options available for including headers in your cURL calls.
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How to Send a Header Using a HTTP Request Through a cURL Call

cURL is a powerful command-line tool used to transfer data to or from a server using various protocols, including HTTP. One of its common uses is to send HTTP requests with custom headers. This guide will walk you through the process of sending a header using a cURL call.

Basic cURL Syntax

The basic syntax of a cURL command to make an HTTP request is:

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Adding Headers to Your Request

To include headers in your HTTP request, you use the -H or --header option followed by the header you want to send. You can add multiple headers by using multiple -H options. Here’s how you can do it:

Example 1: Sending a Single Header

Suppose you want to send a custom header X-Example-Header with the value Value123 to the URL https://example.com/api. Your cURL command would look like this:

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Example 2: Sending Multiple Headers

If you need to send multiple headers, you simply add more -H options. For instance, to send X-Example-Header and Authorization headers, you would write:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Example 3: Using Headers with Different Request Methods

By default, cURL sends a GET request. If you need to use other HTTP methods such as POST, PUT, or DELETE, you can specify them using the -X option. Here’s how to send a POST request with headers:

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In this example:

-X POST specifies the request method.

-H "Content-Type: application/json" sets the Content-Type header to application/json.

-H "Authorization: Bearer token123" includes an Authorization header.

-d '{"key1":"value1", "key2":"value2"}' sends JSON data in the body of the request.

Conclusion

Using cURL to send headers in HTTP requests is straightforward with the -H option. Whether you're sending a single header or multiple headers, cURL provides the flexibility to include the necessary information in your requests. By understanding the basic syntax and options available, you can efficiently use cURL for various tasks involving HTTP requests and headers.