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curl is a Linux command line utility that transfers data from one machine to another. It works with multiple protocols including HTTP, DICT, FILE, FTP, FTPS, IMAP, IMAPS, POP3, etc.

This article will teach us how to urlencode data for curl command in bash. Let's start with the syntax of curl command.

curl Command in Bash

The basic syntax of the curl command is as follows:

curl [URL] [option]

Example:

curl http://example.com

This command displays the contents of on the Linux terminal http://example.com.

curl Command Options

We can use multiple options in the curl command. Usually, options start with a dash (-) or two dashes (--). For example, a curl command with one option can be written as follows:

curl -L [URL]

A curl command with multiple options can be written as follows:

curl -ELb [URL]

or

curl -E -L -b [URL]

curl -d or --data Option

curlThe -d or --data option of the command is used to send data to the server as a POST request. For example:

curl -d "p1=v1&p2=v2" [URL]

or

curl --data "p1=v1&p2=v2" [URL]

This command sends data to the given URL. For example, parameter p1 has the value v1, and parameter p2 has the value v2, which are sent to the server. These parameters are sent in pure binary format.

curl supports different formats for sending data to the server. For example:

1. --data-asciiSame effect as the -d or --data option.
2. --data-binaryOption is used to send POST data in the actual format specified in the command without processing.
3. --data-urlencodeOption to send POST data to the server by performing URL encoding.

URL-encoded data from the curl command

curlWith --data-urlencodeis used to send data to the server by performing URL encoding.

For example:

curl --data-urlencode "p1=v1" [URL]

The above command curls the URL and passes the parameter p1 value v1 in URL encoded form. This command URL encodes the value v1 and expects p1 to already be in URL encoded form.

We can use this curl option in curl 7.18.0 or later. For example, to check the curl command version, we can use curl -V.

The curl command with --data-urlencodethe option can be used in a variety of formats. For example:

curl --data-urlencode =content [URL]

This command will URL encode the content and send it in the POST. = is not included in the data.

curl --data-urlencode name@file [URL]

This command will URL encode the data in the given file and send it in the POST. The command assumes that the name is already in URL encoded form.

curl --data-urlencode @file [URL]

This command will URL encode the data in the given file and send it in the POST.