GitHub - DeprecatedLuar/better-curl-saul: Did you know you have rights? The FOSS says you do... Better Curl Saul is my homemade CLI 'http client' to make api reusability simple.

4 min read Original article ↗

When HTTP gets complicated...

v0.3.0 Try out the new curl import/exporting: saul myapi set --raw and saul myapi get --raw

Better Curl Saul is a way to simplify and organize api re-callability (if that's a word)

In a nutshell, this is... not my favorite UX:

curl -X POST "https://company.atlassian.net/rest/api/3/issue" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic $(echo -n 'user@company.com:api-token-here' | base64)" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "X-Atlassian-Token: no-check" \
  -d '{
    "fields": {
      "project": {"key": "PROJ"},
      "summary": "API Bug: Users can'\''t login after deployment",
      "description": "Steps:\n1. Deploy v2.1.0\n2. Try login\n3. Gets 500 error\n\nExpected: Login works\nActual: Server error",
      "issuetype": {"name": "Bug"},
      "priority": {"name": "High"},
      "assignee": {"accountId": "123456:abcd-efgh-ijkl"},
      "labels": ["api", "login", "production"],
      "customfield_10001": "2024-01-15",
      "customfield_10002": {"value": "Backend Team"}
    }
  }'

Try this instead

Better-Curl Demo

The nice features you've never seen before

  • Workspace-based - Each API gets its own organized folder (reusable)
  • Inline editor - the edit command for any given field also supports $EDITOR
  • Smart variables - {@token} persists,{?name} prompts every time
  • Response filtering - Show only the fields you care about
  • Git-friendly - Store the preset workspaces on git
  • Unix composable - Script it, pipe it, shell it
  • TOML converter - JSON gets reorganized into TOML for readability
  • Saul Goodman - It has Saul Goodman on it.

Installation

macOS Linux Windows Nix

Universal

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/DeprecatedLuar/better-curl-saul/main/install.sh | bash

Homebrew

brew install deprecatedluar/tap/better-curl-saul

NixOS

nix profile install github:DeprecatedLuar/better-curl-saul?dir=nix-saul
Other Install Methods

Manual Install

  1. Download binary for your OS from releases
  2. Make executable: chmod +x saul-*
  3. Move to PATH: sudo mv saul-* /usr/local/bin/saul

From Source (for try-harders)

git clone https://github.com/DeprecatedLuar/better-curl-saul.git
cd better-curl-saul
./other/install-local.sh  # Local development build

In case you already have Saul (basically gambling at this point)

saul temp set url https://raw.githubusercontent.com/DeprecatedLuar/better-curl-saul/main/install.sh && saul temp call --raw | bash

[!NOTE] Quick install auto-detects your system and downloads binaries or builds from source as fallback. Windows users: I don't know powershell I expect you to have bash 👍


Commands

Action Targets Description Example
set url, method, timeout, body, header, query, variables Configure request settings and data saul api set url https://...
edit body, header, query Edit inline or open in $EDITOR saul edit body user.name / saul edit body
rm body, header, query Remove specific fields saul rm body user.email
call - Execute the configured request saul call --dry-run
get url, body, header, query, request, response, history View configuration or response data saul get body --raw

Flags

Flag Description Example
--raw Input/output raw format (curl/JSON) saul set --raw
--body-only Show only response body saul get response --body-only
--header-only Show only response headers saul get response --header-only
--status-only Show only response status saul get response --status-only
--dry-run Preview request without executing saul call --dry-run
--call Execute request immediately after set saul set body user=john --call
-v Prompt for specific variables on call saul call -v token name email
Quick Start 
# Create a test workspace
saul demo set url https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1
saul demo set method GET
saul demo call

# Try with variables
saul api set url https://httpbin.org/post
saul api set method POST
saul api set body name={@your_name} message="{?message}" --call

# Change workspace on the fly:
saul myapi set url https://api.example.com
saul set method POST
saul set header Authorization="Bearer {@token}"
saul set body user.name={?username} user.email=john@test.com
saul my_other_api call # Execute some other random request

# View your configuration
saul get body --raw
saul get history # View response history

[!NOTE] Variable types:

  • soft-variables {?} prompt you at EVERY call
  • hard-variables {@} require manual update via -v flag or saul set variables name value

For nesting: use dot notation like obj.field=value

🗺️ Roadmap
  • Start watching Better Call Saul
  • Think of a bad joke
  • Workspace-based configuration
  • Smart variable system ({@} / {?})
  • In line terminal field editing
  • Response filtering
  • Response history
  • Terminal session memory
  • Bulk operations
  • Fix history response parsing and filtering
  • Flags (--raw, --body-only, --header-only, --status-only, --dry-run, --call)
  • GET specific response stuff from history (aka Headers/Body...)
  • 'Proper' Windows support
  • curl command exportation/generation feature
  • Support pasting raw JSON template
  • Stateless command support with HttPie syntax
  • Homebrew and Scoop releases
  • User config system using github.com/DeprecatedLuar/toml-vars-letsgooo library
  • Add the eastereggs
  • Forward responses to another workspace
  • Polish code
  • Actual Documentation
  • Touch Grass (not a priority)
  • Think of more features
  • Think of even more features

Little Note

v1.0.0 Comming Soon - Production ready, minor QOL improvements otw.

Bug or feedback? I will be very happy if you let me know your thoughts.