cURL Formatter
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Issue Description
Hint: Paste any code and click Format to beautify indentation, spacing, and structure instantly.
How It Works
- Step 1: Paste single-line cURL commands from browser DevTools Network tab, Postman export, or API documentation with long headers and data payloads.
- Step 2: The formatter parses cURL syntax identifying flags (-X, -H, -d, --data, --header), URL endpoints, HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), and authentication tokens.
- Step 3: Applies line breaks after each flag, indents continuation lines with backslashes (\), and groups related headers (Content-Type, Authorization) for readability.
- Step 4: Outputs formatted cURL commands suitable for documentation, shell scripts, CI/CD pipelines, and API testing, making complex requests easier to debug and modify.
cURL Formatting Examples
Example: cURL POST Request Formatting
curl -X POST https://api.example.com/v1/users -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9" -d '{"name":"John Doe","email":"[email protected]","role":"admin"}'curl -X POST https://api.example.com/v1/users \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9" \
-d '{
"name": "John Doe",
"email": "[email protected]",
"role": "admin"
}'Key Changes:
The formatter transforms single-line cURL into multi-line format with backslash continuation, making complex API requests readable. Each flag (-X, -H, -d) starts on a new line with consistent 2-space indentation. The HTTP method (POST) and endpoint URL remain on the first line for quick identification. Headers are grouped and separated, with Content-Type and Authorization clearly visible—critical for debugging authentication failures or CORS issues. The JSON payload is formatted with proper indentation, making it easy to spot missing fields or syntax errors. This format is ideal for shell scripts where readability matters, API documentation showing request examples, and CI/CD pipelines where developers need to modify endpoints or headers. The backslash continuation allows copying the entire command into terminal without modification. DevOps teams use formatted cURL for health checks, webhook testing, and API integration verification in deployment scripts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cURL formatter?
A cURL formatter is a tool that formats cURL commands with proper line breaks, indentation, and structure. It makes cURL commands more readable and easier to maintain by applying consistent formatting rules.
How do I format cURL commands online?
Simply paste your cURL command into the editor, and our formatter will automatically format it with proper line breaks and indentation. The formatting happens instantly in your browser.
Is the cURL formatter free?
Yes, our cURL formatter is completely free to use with no limits. There's no registration required, and all processing happens in your browser for maximum privacy.
Does the formatter validate cURL syntax?
Yes, our cURL formatter validates cURL command syntax while formatting. If there are syntax errors, the formatter will highlight them so you can fix them before formatting.
Can I format cURL commands with headers?
Yes, our cURL formatter supports all cURL options including headers, data, authentication, and all standard cURL command syntax.
What cURL features are supported?
Our cURL formatter supports all cURL features including GET, POST, PUT, DELETE requests, headers, cookies, authentication, file uploads, and all standard cURL options.