Does it handle all cURL flags?

Common flags: -H/--header, -d/--data, --data-raw, -X/--request, -u/--user, --form, -k/--insecure, -b/--cookie, -c, -L/--location, --compressed. Less common flags (--resolve, --cacert, multi-handle operations) are logged as unsupported.

Can it convert in the other direction — code to cURL?

This tool converts cURL to code only. For code to cURL, the API request builder tool has a 'copy as cURL' export button. Postman and Insomnia also export as cURL natively.

How does it handle authentication in cURL commands?

-u username:password generates HTTP Basic auth headers. --oauth2-bearer generates Authorization: Bearer headers. API key headers (-H 'X-API-Key: xxx') are passed through as literal headers in the generated code.

cURL to Code Generator | DevTools Surf

DevTools Surf

Example: cURL to Code Generator

A worked example, rendered from real sample data. Sign in to run the tool on your own input.

Input

language=javascript
curl -X GET https://api.example.com/users -H "Authorization: Bearer token123" -H "Accept: application/json"

Output

fetch('https://api.example.com/users', {
  method: 'GET',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer token123',
    'Accept': 'application/json'
  }
})
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

About cURL to Code Generator

cURL to Code Generator preview - API / Config tool

Convert cURL commands to code in JavaScript, Python, Go with formatting options. Part of the DevTools Surf developer suite. Browse more tools in the API / Config collection.

Use Cases

Convert API documentation cURL examples to Python or JavaScript for quick testing
Translate cURL commands from Stack Overflow answers into your application's language
Generate boilerplate HTTP client code from REST client exports
Learn HTTP request construction patterns across different language SDKs

Tips

Paste the full cURL command including -H, -d, --data-raw, and --form flags — all are parsed and converted to the target language's native constructs
Use the language selector to switch between JavaScript fetch, Axios, Python requests, Go http, PHP curl, and Ruby Net::HTTP
Enable 'async/await' mode for JavaScript to get modern promise-based code instead of callback-style

Fun Facts

cURL was created by Daniel Stenberg in 1998 as a tool to transfer URLs. It now supports 28 protocols and ships pre-installed on every major operating system — making it effectively universal. Stenberg still maintains it as an individual contributor, 26 years later.
The -v (verbose) flag in cURL was added in the first public release and remains one of the most used debugging tools in web development. The asterisk (*), > (request header), and < (response header) prefixes in verbose output are unchanged since 1998.
Amazon API Gateway's console has a 'Download SDK' button that generates code in 8 languages — all based on parsing the OpenAPI spec. The underlying approach mirrors what curl-to-code converters do: transform a request description into language-idiomatic HTTP code.

FAQ

Does it handle all cURL flags?: Common flags: -H/--header, -d/--data, --data-raw, -X/--request, -u/--user, --form, -k/--insecure, -b/--cookie, -c, -L/--location, --compressed. Less common flags (--resolve, --cacert, multi-handle operations) are logged as unsupported.
Can it convert in the other direction — code to cURL?: This tool converts cURL to code only. For code to cURL, the API request builder tool has a 'copy as cURL' export button. Postman and Insomnia also export as cURL natively.
How does it handle authentication in cURL commands?: -u username:password generates HTTP Basic auth headers. --oauth2-bearer generates Authorization: Bearer headers. API key headers (-H 'X-API-Key: xxx') are passed through as literal headers in the generated code.

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