[Answers](https://scrapfly.io/blog) / [curl](https://scrapfly.io/blog/tag/curl) / [How To Send cURL POST Requests?](https://scrapfly.io/blog/answers/how-to-send-a-post-request-using-curl) # How To Send cURL POST Requests? by [Mazen Ramadan](https://scrapfly.io/blog/author/mazen) Apr 18, 2026 3 min read [\#curl](https://scrapfly.io/blog/tag/curl) [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fscrapfly.io%2Fblog%2Fanswers%2Fhow-to-send-a-post-request-using-curl "Share on LinkedIn") To send a curl post request, we can use the following syntax: bash```bash curl -X POST \ -H "Headers" \ -d "Body" \ https://httpbin.dev/post ``` This snippet shows the basic elements of a curl post data request: `-X`: Specifies the request HTTP method, POST in this case. `-H`: For adding request headers, which are often required for POST requests. `-d`: For adding the cURL post body, which is where your payload goes (JSON, XML, or form data). ## Common cURL POST Request Examples Let's go through some typical use cases for sending a curl post request. ### cURL POST Request with JSON To pass a JSON body in a cURL POST request with JSON, use the -d option followed by the data object: bash```bash curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"key1": "value1", "key2": "value2"}' https://httpbin.dev/post ``` Here, we modify the request `Content-Type` [header](https://scrapfly.io/blog/posts/how-to-avoid-web-scraping-blocking-headers/) and include the cURL request body in JSON format. The server responds with the parsed request: json```json { "args": {}, "headers": { .... "Content-Type": [ "application/json" ], }, "method": "POST", "data": "{\"key1\": \"value1\", \"key2\": \"value2\"}", "json": { "key1": "value1", "key2": "value2" } } ``` ### cURL POST Request with XML You can also send a cURL POST request with XML by changing the header and body format: bash```bash curl -X POST \ -H "Content-Type: application/xml" -d "1Box of Chocolate Candy" https://httpbin.dev/post ``` This approach is common for SOAP-based or legacy APIs that require XML payloads. ### Sending Files with cURL POST To make cURL POST files, we use the `-F` flag to send file data as multipart/form-data: bash```bash curl -X POST -F "file=@/file/path/file.img" https://httpbin.dev/post ``` Note: If you're uploading multiple files, use multiple `-F` flags. This is useful for form-based file upload endpoints. ### Sending Form POST Requests Form POST requests are commonly required to retrieve tokens or data behind forms. Let's replicate this [form example](https://httpbin.dev/forms/post) using cURL POST requests: bash```bash curl -X POST \ -d 'custname=Scrapfly&custtel=&custemail=&size=small&topping=cheese&delivery=13%3A45&comments=' \ https://httpbin.dev/post ``` This is especially useful when interacting with APIs or web apps that use forms to receive input. ### Authenticate cURL POST Requests Let's make cURL POST requests support basic HTTP authentication. For this, we can use the `basic` option: bash```bash curl -X POST --user user:passwd --basic https://httpbin.dev/basic-auth/user/passwd ``` The response of the above cURL request indicates that it's successfully authenticated: json```json { "authorized": true, "user": "user" } ``` For further details on different mechanisms for handling authentication with cURL requests, refer to our [dedicated guide](https://scrapfly.io/blog/answers/how-to-set-authorization-with-curl-full-examples-guide). ## Further cURL Options Sending cURL POST requests often require additional configuration for the request. Here are additional cURL arguments and their usage: | Argument | Full Option | Description | |---|---|---| | -x | --proxy | Use proxy with cURL, either as HTTP or SOCKS | | -Z | --parallel | Send multiple cURL requests in parallel | | -L | --location | Make cURL follow request redirects | | -O | --output | Save the response binary data to a local directory | | -I | --head | Use the request HEAD HTTP method | | -b | --cookie | Add request cookies | | -v | --verbose | Sends the request in verbose mode, which include further debugging details | | -k | --insecure | Skip SSL verification for HTTPs connection | For further details on sending requests with cURL, refer to our dedicated guide. [How to Use cURL For Web ScrapingIn this article, we'll go over a step-by-step guide on sending and configuring HTTP requests with cURL. We'll also explore advanced usages of cURL for web scraping, such as scraping dynamic pages and avoiding getting blocked.](https://scrapfly.io/blog/posts/how-to-use-curl-for-web-scraping) Table of Contents- [Common cURL POST Request Examples](#common-curl-post-request-examples) - [cURL POST Request with JSON](#curl-post-request-with-json) - [cURL POST Request with XML](#curl-post-request-with-xml) - [Sending Files with cURL POST](#sending-files-with-curl-post) - [Sending Form POST Requests](#sending-form-post-requests) - [Authenticate cURL POST Requests](#authenticate-curl-post-requests) - [Further cURL Options](#further-curl-options) Join the Newsletter Get monthly web scraping insights Scale Your Web Scraping Anti-bot bypass, browser rendering, and rotating proxies — all in one API. Start with 1,000 free credits. 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