Curl Command Generator

Convert curl commands to Python, JavaScript, Ruby, and PHP code. Free curl converter that parses headers, auth, and request bodies instantly.

How to use this curl converter

You need a curl command and a target language. That is it.

  1. Copy a curl command from your terminal, browser DevTools (right-click a network request and select "Copy as cURL"), or API documentation.
  2. Paste it into the input field on the left.
  3. Select the language you want: Python, JavaScript, Ruby, or PHP.
  4. Click Convert. The generated code appears in the output panel on the right.
  5. Click Copy output and paste the code into your project.

This curl converter runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, so you can safely paste commands that include API keys, authentication tokens, or internal URLs.

What is a curl command?

Curl is a command-line tool for making HTTP requests. It ships with macOS, most Linux distributions, and recent versions of Windows. When a developer says "give me a curl for that endpoint," they mean a single-line command that defines a URL, HTTP method, headers, and body. Everything needed to reproduce a request.

API documentation frequently provides curl examples because they are language-agnostic. A curl command tells you exactly what the request looks like without assuming you use Python, JavaScript, or any other language. The catch is that translating a curl command into working code by hand takes longer than it should, especially when the command includes multiple headers, authentication, and a JSON body.

A curl converter automates that translation. Paste the command, pick a language, and get code that is ready to run.

Curl flags reference

This tool parses the most commonly used curl flags. Here is a quick reference of what each flag does and how the converter handles it.

Flag Long form Purpose
-X --request Sets the HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH)
-H --header Adds a request header (repeatable for multiple headers)
-d --data Sends a request body; implies POST if no method is set
-u --user Sets HTTP Basic Authentication (user:password)
-b --cookie Sends cookies with the request
-A --user-agent Sets the User-Agent header
-L --location Follows HTTP redirects automatically
-k --insecure Skips SSL certificate verification
-F --form Sends multipart form data

Flags like --data-raw and --data-binary are treated identically to -d. If no -X flag is provided but a body is present, the converter defaults to POST.

Supported languages

This converter supports four languages. Each has a dedicated page with language-specific examples and guidance:

Where curl commands come from

The most common source is browser DevTools. In Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, open the Network tab, find the request you want to reproduce, right-click it, and select "Copy as cURL." This gives you a curl command with every header the browser sent, including cookies, authorization tokens, and content negotiation headers.

API documentation is the second major source. Services like Stripe, Twilio, GitHub, and most REST APIs include curl examples for every endpoint. Pasting these into a curl converter saves you from manually translating the example into whatever language your project uses.

Terminal history is the third source. If you built a working curl command through trial and error in your terminal, converting it to code preserves the exact request that worked: headers, body, and all.

Common curl parsing mistakes

Most curl conversion errors come from quoting issues. Curl commands copied from documentation sometimes use "smart quotes" (curly quotes) instead of straight quotes. This tool handles straight single and double quotes. If the conversion fails, check that your quotes are standard ASCII characters.

Line continuations are another common problem. Multi-line curl commands use a backslash (\) at the end of each line to continue the command on the next line. This tool joins those lines automatically, but if the backslash is missing or there are extra spaces, the command may not parse correctly.

Commands copied from web pages sometimes include invisible Unicode characters or zero-width spaces. If a command looks correct but fails to parse, try retyping the URL or header values manually.

When to use curl vs a browser automation tool

Curl is the right choice for simple API calls: fetching data from a REST endpoint, posting a JSON payload, or checking a URL's response headers. If the request is stateless and doesn't require JavaScript rendering, curl (or code generated from a curl command) is the fastest path.

When the target page relies on JavaScript to load content, requires multi-step interaction (clicking buttons, filling forms, navigating between pages), or needs a full browser session with cookies and state, a browser automation tool like Browserbeam is a better fit. Browser automation gives you a real browser context where you can extract structured data from dynamically rendered pages.

Many developers start with curl to test an endpoint, then move to browser automation when the task requires more than a single HTTP request. This curl converter helps with the first step: turning an ad-hoc curl command into reusable code.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a curl converter?

A curl converter takes a curl command and translates it into equivalent code in a programming language like Python, JavaScript, Ruby, or PHP. It parses the URL, HTTP method, headers, body, and authentication from the curl command and generates code that makes the same request using that language's HTTP client.

How do I convert curl to Python?

Paste your curl command, select "Python," and click Convert. The output uses the requests library. See the full guide on the curl to Python page.

Does this tool send my curl command to a server?

No. All parsing and code generation happens in your browser. Nothing is transmitted to any server. You can safely paste curl commands that contain API keys, bearer tokens, or internal URLs.

Can I convert curl to JavaScript fetch?

Yes. Select "JavaScript" and click Convert. The output uses the Fetch API with async/await syntax. See the full guide on the curl to JavaScript page.

What curl flags does this converter support?

The converter parses -X (method), -H (headers), -d / --data / --data-raw (body), -u (basic auth), -b (cookies), -A (user agent), -L (follow redirects), -k (skip SSL), and -F (form data).

How do I copy a curl command from Chrome DevTools?

Open DevTools (F12), go to the Network tab, find the request you want, right-click it, and select "Copy" then "Copy as cURL." This copies a complete curl command with all headers and cookies the browser sent. Paste it into this tool to convert it to code.

Why does my curl command fail to parse?

The most common causes are curly (smart) quotes instead of straight quotes, missing line continuation backslashes in multi-line commands, or invisible Unicode characters copied from web pages. Try retyping the problematic parts or converting smart quotes to standard ASCII quotes.

Can I convert curl to other languages like Go or Rust?

This tool currently supports Python, JavaScript, Ruby, and PHP. These cover the most searched language targets for curl conversion. Additional languages may be added in the future based on demand.

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