How to Install and Use Curl on Debian 11

Sumit Patel -

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Introduction

Before we begin talking about how to install and use Curl on Debian 11 Linux, let’s briefly understand – What is Curl?

Curl is a command-line tool and library for transferring data between servers and clients over various protocols, including HTTP, FTP, SMTP, and more. It is open-source software that works on most operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Curl is widely used by developers and system administrators to automate tasks and test APIs. It is also used for web scraping, downloading files, and debugging network connections. With Curl, you can send HTTP requests and receive responses, set custom headers and cookies, and authenticate with different methods.

In this tutorial, you will install and use Curl on Debian 11 Linux. We will also address some FAQs related to the Curl installation.

Advantages of Installing and Using Curl on Debian 11

  1. Versatile and Powerful: Curl is a versatile and powerful command-line tool that supports various protocols, including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and more. It allows you to perform a wide range of tasks, such as downloading files, testing APIs, and debugging network connections.
  2. Scripting and Automation: Curl is commonly used in scripting and automation workflows. It provides a straightforward and reliable way to interact with remote servers and services, making it an essential tool for tasks that require automated data retrieval or interaction with web APIs.
  3. Flexible and Customizable: Curl offers a wide range of options and parameters that allow you to customize your requests. You can set custom headers, specify request methods, handle different authentication mechanisms, and more. This flexibility makes Curl suitable for a variety of use cases.
  4. Debugging and Troubleshooting: Curl provides detailed output that helps in debugging and troubleshooting network-related issues. It allows you to inspect HTTP response headers, check response times, and diagnose network connectivity problems. Curl's verbose output makes it a valuable tool for troubleshooting network-related problems.
  5. Cross-Platform Availability: Curl is available for various operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows. This cross-platform availability ensures that you can use curl consistently across different environments, making it a convenient and portable tool for your development and administration needs.

Step 1 – Install Curl on Debian

1) The Curl package is there in the default Debian 11 repositories. You can install it by running the following command:

sudo apt install curl

2) You will now need to verify about curl installation. So, type curl in your terminal, then press Enter:

curl

The command will print the following output:

Output

curl: try 'curl --help' or 'curl --manual' for more information

You now have a successful installation of curl on your Debian machine. You will be able to start using it now.

Step 2 – Using Curl Command

1) When it is used without any option, it will print the source code of the URL given as an argument.

curl https://example.com

2) You will next download a file with curl. You use either the -o, or -O flags. Here, the lowercase -o option allows you to specify the name of the saved file.

curl -o test.tar.yw https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/linux-5.0.5.tar.xz

3) The uppercase -O will save the file. It will be with its original filename:

curl -O https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/linux-5.0.5.tar.xz

4) There is one more useful feature of the Curl. It is its ability to display HTTP headers of a given URL:

curl -I https://www.debian.org/

5) With Curl, you will be able to download files from FTP servers. These are mainly password protected:

curl -u FTP_USERNAME:FTP_PASSWORD ftp://ftp.example.com/file.tar.gz

FAQs to Install and Use Curl on Debian 11 Linux

Is the CURL free?

The curl is free as well as open-source software. The curl project follows well-established standards and also, open-source best practices.

What does the D mean in curl?

The -d or --data option indicates the curl command to send the data. It is in a POST request to the server. This option will make the curl command pass data to the server.

How do I check the version of Curl installed on my Debian 11 system?

You can check the version of Curl installed on your Debian 11 system by running the command curl --version in the terminal.

Can I use Curl to test REST APIs on Debian 11?

Yes, you can use Curl to test REST APIs on Debian 11 by sending HTTP requests to the API endpoints and verifying the responses.

How do I set custom headers in a Curl request on Debian 11?

You can set custom headers in a Curl request on Debian 11 by using the -H option followed by the header name and value in your CURL command.

How do I authenticate with Curl on Debian 11?

You can authenticate with Curl on Debian 11 by using the -u option followed by the username and password in your Curl command.

How do I save the output of a Curl request to a file on Debian 11?

You can save the output of a Curl request to a file on Debian 11 by using the -ooption followed by the filename in your Curl command.

Conclusion

We hope this detailed tutorial helped you to install and use Curl on Debian 11 Linux.

If you have any queries or doubts, please leave them in the comment below. We'll be happy to address them.