| name | tool-curl |
| description | Use curl for low-level HTTP requests, headers, and data transfer debugging. Trigger when APIs, webhooks, download checks, or protocol-level diagnostics are required. |
tool-curl
When To Use
- Run low-level HTTP diagnostics with explicit flags.
- Inspect response codes, headers, redirects, and payloads.
- Download artifacts in deterministic script-friendly ways.
Trusted Commands
curl -fsSL https://example.com
curl -I https://example.com
curl -fsSLo output.bin https://example.com/file.bin
curl -fsS -w '%{http_code}\n' -o /dev/null https://example.com
curl -fsS -H 'Accept: application/json' https://example.com/api
curl -fsS -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"name":"demo"}' https://example.com/api
Safe Defaults
- Use
-f to fail on HTTP errors.
- Use
-sS to reduce noise while preserving errors.
- Use
-L when redirects are expected.
Common Pitfalls
- Unquoted URLs with
? or & can be mangled by the shell.
- Secrets can leak via verbose output or command history.
- Implicit content negotiation can cause confusing response formats.
Output Interpretation
- Exit code
22 with -f indicates HTTP status >= 400.
-I returns headers only for quick health checks.-w can emit status/metrics for script decisions.
Why It Matters For Agents
- curl remains the most portable HTTP primitive across platforms.
- Precise flag control enables reliable debugging and automation.
Repo Conventions
- Avoid adding network calls beyond stated task scope.
- Keep examples token-safe and never embed credentials.
Trigger Examples
- Should trigger: "Check whether this endpoint returns a 302 redirect."
- Should trigger: "Download a release binary in a setup script."
- Should not trigger: "Search all Python files for a class name."
