Скачать или смотреть Why is curl_exec() Returning a Single Space Instead of JSON?

Discover why `curl_exec()` might return a single space instead of the expected JSON data and explore essential troubleshooting tips.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/68966724/ asked by the user 'Linus' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14943460/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/68966997/ provided by the user 'Manoj Kumar' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/10283313/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: why is curl_exec() returning string(1) " ", when the url returns a json on postman

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Understanding the Mystery of curl_exec() Returning Only a Single Space

If you’re working with PHP and have used the curl_exec() function, you may have encountered a perplexing issue: instead of receiving a JSON response like you expect, you get a string with a single space. Let’s explore this problem and find the solutions you need.

The Problem

You're using curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true); to listen to a URL, expecting a full JSON response. However, instead of getting the data you anticipate, you receive a string with a single space (string(1) " "). This can be confusing because, while it indicates your cURL request didn't fail (unlike a string(0) which means false), it's still not the response you want.

Below is the code snippet you're likely using:

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

Troubleshooting Steps

To resolve this issue, you can check the following points systematically:

1. Direct URL Access

Action: Open the URL directly in your browser.

Expectation: You should see the JSON response.

Meanings: If you get an error or no response, the issue is with the URL or server.

2. Check for CORS Issues

What is CORS? Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) might affect your ability to access resources from different origins.

Action: Verify if there are any CORS restrictions that might prevent your script from retrieving the response.

Solution: If CORS is the issue, you may need to handle headers on the server side or configure your cURL request to simulate a browser.

3. Inspect the Response Data

Action: Check if there is any whitespace before the JSON response.

Tip: Sometimes, leading or trailing spaces can mislead you into thinking the response is empty. Use a function like trim() on the output before inspecting it.

4. Use Debugging Options

Consider enabling verbose output for cURL to help identify issues with the request.

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

This can give you insights into the HTTP headers, request, and response being sent and received.

Conclusion

In summary, while it's frustrating to receive a single space instead of the expected JSON, you have several avenues to investigate. Start by checking direct access to the URL, examine potential CORS settings, and inspect your response for whitespace. By following these troubleshooting tips, you can usually identify the underlying issue and get the JSON response you’re after.

Feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, and let’s troubleshoot further together!