curl/docs/cmdline-opts/request.md

---
c: Copyright (C) Daniel Stenberg, <daniel@haxx.se>, et al.
SPDX-License-Identifier: curl
Long: request
Short: X
Arg: <method>
Help: Specify request method to use
Category: connection
Added: 6.0
Multi: single
See-also:
  - request-target
Example:
  - -X "DELETE" $URL
  - -X NLST ftp://example.com/
---

# `--request`

Change the method to use when starting the transfer.

curl passes on the verbatim string you give it in the request without any
filter or other safe guards. That includes white space and control characters.

## HTTP
Specifies a custom request method to use when communicating with the HTTP
server. The specified request method is used instead of the method otherwise
used (which defaults to *GET*). Read the HTTP 1.1 specification for details
and explanations. Common additional HTTP requests include *PUT* and *DELETE*,
while related technologies like WebDAV offers *PROPFIND*, *COPY*, *MOVE* and
more.

Normally you do not need this option. All sorts of *GET*, *HEAD*, *POST* and
*PUT* requests are rather invoked by using dedicated command line options.

This option only changes the actual word used in the HTTP request, it does not
alter the way curl behaves. For example if you want to make a proper HEAD
request, using -X HEAD does not suffice. You need to use the --head option.

The method string you set with --request is used for all requests, which
if you for example use --location may cause unintended side-effects when curl
does not change request method according to the HTTP 30x response codes - and
similar.

## FTP
Specifies a custom FTP command to use instead of *LIST* when doing file lists
with FTP.

## POP3
Specifies a custom POP3 command to use instead of *LIST* or *RETR*.
(Added in 7.26.0)

## IMAP
Specifies a custom IMAP command to use instead of *LIST*. (Added in 7.30.0)

## SMTP
Specifies a custom SMTP command to use instead of *HELP* or **VRFY**. (Added in 7.34.0)
docs/cmdline: change to .md for cmdline docs - switch all invidual files documenting command line options into .md, as the documentation is now markdown-looking. - made the parser treat 4-space indents as quotes - switch to building the curl.1 manpage using the "mainpage.idx" file, which lists the files to include to generate it, instead of using the previous page-footer/headers. Also, those files are now also .md ones, using the same format. I gave them underscore prefixes to make them sort separately: _NAME.md, _SYNOPSIS.md, _DESCRIPTION.md, _URL.md, _GLOBBING.md, _VARIABLES.md, _OUTPUT.md, _PROTOCOLS.md, _PROGRESS.md, _VERSION.md, _OPTIONS.md, _FILES.md, _ENVIRONMENT.md, _PROXYPREFIX.md, _EXITCODES.md, _BUGS.md, _AUTHORS.md, _WWW.md, _SEEALSO.md - updated test cases accordingly Closes #12751 2024-01-21 06:18:43 +08:00			`---`
copyright: update all copyright lines and remove year ranges - they are mostly pointless in all major jurisdictions - many big corporations and projects already don't use them - saves us from pointless churn - git keeps history for us - the year range is kept in COPYING checksrc is updated to allow non-year using copyright statements Closes #10205 2023-01-02 20:51:48 +08:00			`c: Copyright (C) Daniel Stenberg, <daniel@haxx.se>, et al.`
docs/cmdline-opts: add copyright and license identifier to each file gen.pl now insists on C: and SPDX-License-Identifier: fields to be present in all files. Closes #9002 2022-06-14 06:12:03 +08:00			`SPDX-License-Identifier: curl`
cmdline-docs: more options converted and fixed Now all options are in the new system. 2016-11-28 08:01:13 +08:00			`Long: request`
			`Short: X`
request.d: refer to 'method' rather than 'command' Closes #8094 2021-12-04 07:20:42 +08:00			`Arg: <method>`
			`Help: Specify request method to use`
docs: add categories to all cmdline opts Adapted gen.pl with 'listcats' This commit is a part of "--help me if you can" Closes #5680 2020-07-13 20:15:04 +08:00			`Category: connection`
cmdline-opts: made the 'Added:' field mandatory Since "too old" versions are no longer included in the generated man page, this field is now mandatory so that it won't be forgotten and then not included in the documentation. Closes #7786 2021-09-28 17:50:07 +08:00			`Added: 6.0`
cmdline/docs: add a required 'multi' keyword for each option The keyword specifies how option works when specified multiple times: - single: the last provided value replaces the earlier ones - append: it supports being provided multiple times - boolean: on/off values - mutex: flag-like option that disable anoter flag The 'gen.pl' script then outputs the proper and unified language for each option's multi-use behavior in the generated man page. The multi: header is requires in each .d file and will cause build error if missing or set to an unknown value. Closes #9759 2022-10-18 16:39:43 +08:00			`Multi: single`
docs/cmdline: change to .md for cmdline docs - switch all invidual files documenting command line options into .md, as the documentation is now markdown-looking. - made the parser treat 4-space indents as quotes - switch to building the curl.1 manpage using the "mainpage.idx" file, which lists the files to include to generate it, instead of using the previous page-footer/headers. Also, those files are now also .md ones, using the same format. I gave them underscore prefixes to make them sort separately: _NAME.md, _SYNOPSIS.md, _DESCRIPTION.md, _URL.md, _GLOBBING.md, _VARIABLES.md, _OUTPUT.md, _PROTOCOLS.md, _PROGRESS.md, _VERSION.md, _OPTIONS.md, _FILES.md, _ENVIRONMENT.md, _PROXYPREFIX.md, _EXITCODES.md, _BUGS.md, _AUTHORS.md, _WWW.md, _SEEALSO.md - updated test cases accordingly Closes #12751 2024-01-21 06:18:43 +08:00			`See-also:`
			`- request-target`
			`Example:`
			`- -X "DELETE" $URL`
			`- -X NLST ftp://example.com/`
cmdline-docs: more options converted and fixed Now all options are in the new system. 2016-11-28 08:01:13 +08:00			`---`
docs/cmdline: change to .md for cmdline docs - switch all invidual files documenting command line options into .md, as the documentation is now markdown-looking. - made the parser treat 4-space indents as quotes - switch to building the curl.1 manpage using the "mainpage.idx" file, which lists the files to include to generate it, instead of using the previous page-footer/headers. Also, those files are now also .md ones, using the same format. I gave them underscore prefixes to make them sort separately: _NAME.md, _SYNOPSIS.md, _DESCRIPTION.md, _URL.md, _GLOBBING.md, _VARIABLES.md, _OUTPUT.md, _PROTOCOLS.md, _PROGRESS.md, _VERSION.md, _OPTIONS.md, _FILES.md, _ENVIRONMENT.md, _PROXYPREFIX.md, _EXITCODES.md, _BUGS.md, _AUTHORS.md, _WWW.md, _SEEALSO.md - updated test cases accordingly Closes #12751 2024-01-21 06:18:43 +08:00
			# `--request`

request.d: use .TP for protocol "labels" To render the section nicer in man page. Closes #11630 2023-08-08 21:44:14 +08:00			`Change the method to use when starting the transfer.`
docs: clarify that curl passes on input unfiltered ... for several options. Reported-by: Ophir Lojkine Closes #12249 2023-11-02 20:05:10 +08:00
request.md: language fix improved for better readability and correctness Closes #13854 2024-06-02 09:42:52 +08:00			`curl passes on the verbatim string you give it in the request without any`
docs: clarify that curl passes on input unfiltered ... for several options. Reported-by: Ophir Lojkine Closes #12249 2023-11-02 20:05:10 +08:00			`filter or other safe guards. That includes white space and control characters.`
cmdline/docs/*.d: switch to using ## instead of .IP To make the editing easier. To write and to read. Closes #12667 2024-01-09 17:36:14 +08:00
			`## HTTP`
cmdline-docs: use present tense, not future + some smaller cleanups Closes #11821 2023-09-08 20:32:29 +08:00			`Specifies a custom request method to use when communicating with the HTTP`
			`server. The specified request method is used instead of the method otherwise`
			`used (which defaults to GET). Read the HTTP 1.1 specification for details`
			`and explanations. Common additional HTTP requests include PUT and DELETE,`
docs/cmdline: change to .md for cmdline docs - switch all invidual files documenting command line options into .md, as the documentation is now markdown-looking. - made the parser treat 4-space indents as quotes - switch to building the curl.1 manpage using the "mainpage.idx" file, which lists the files to include to generate it, instead of using the previous page-footer/headers. Also, those files are now also .md ones, using the same format. I gave them underscore prefixes to make them sort separately: _NAME.md, _SYNOPSIS.md, _DESCRIPTION.md, _URL.md, _GLOBBING.md, _VARIABLES.md, _OUTPUT.md, _PROTOCOLS.md, _PROGRESS.md, _VERSION.md, _OPTIONS.md, _FILES.md, _ENVIRONMENT.md, _PROXYPREFIX.md, _EXITCODES.md, _BUGS.md, _AUTHORS.md, _WWW.md, _SEEALSO.md - updated test cases accordingly Closes #12751 2024-01-21 06:18:43 +08:00			`while related technologies like WebDAV offers PROPFIND, COPY, MOVE and`
cmdline-docs: use present tense, not future + some smaller cleanups Closes #11821 2023-09-08 20:32:29 +08:00			`more.`
cmdline-docs: more options converted and fixed Now all options are in the new system. 2016-11-28 08:01:13 +08:00
docs/cmdline-opts: spellfixes, typos and polish To make them accepted by the spell checker Closes #11562 2023-08-01 20:11:50 +08:00			`Normally you do not need this option. All sorts of GET, HEAD, POST and`
			`PUT requests are rather invoked by using dedicated command line options.`
cmdline-docs: more options converted and fixed Now all options are in the new system. 2016-11-28 08:01:13 +08:00
			`This option only changes the actual word used in the HTTP request, it does not`
docs: more language cleanups - present tense - avoid bad words Closes #13003 2024-02-27 17:35:28 +08:00			`alter the way curl behaves. For example if you want to make a proper HEAD`
cmdline-docs: use present tense, not future + some smaller cleanups Closes #11821 2023-09-08 20:32:29 +08:00			`request, using -X HEAD does not suffice. You need to use the --head option.`
cmdline-docs: more options converted and fixed Now all options are in the new system. 2016-11-28 08:01:13 +08:00
cmdline-docs: use present tense, not future + some smaller cleanups Closes #11821 2023-09-08 20:32:29 +08:00			`The method string you set with --request is used for all requests, which`
cmdline-docs: more options converted and fixed Now all options are in the new system. 2016-11-28 08:01:13 +08:00			`if you for example use --location may cause unintended side-effects when curl`
docs: reduce/avoid English contractions You're => You are Hasn't => Has not Doesn't => Does not Don't => Do not You'll => You will etc Closes #7930 2021-10-31 23:34:44 +08:00			`does not change request method according to the HTTP 30x response codes - and`
cmdline-docs: more options converted and fixed Now all options are in the new system. 2016-11-28 08:01:13 +08:00			`similar.`
cmdline/docs/*.d: switch to using ## instead of .IP To make the editing easier. To write and to read. Closes #12667 2024-01-09 17:36:14 +08:00
			`## FTP`
docs/cmdline-opts: spellfixes, typos and polish To make them accepted by the spell checker Closes #11562 2023-08-01 20:11:50 +08:00			`Specifies a custom FTP command to use instead of LIST when doing file lists`
cmdline-docs: more options converted and fixed Now all options are in the new system. 2016-11-28 08:01:13 +08:00			`with FTP.`
cmdline/docs/*.d: switch to using ## instead of .IP To make the editing easier. To write and to read. Closes #12667 2024-01-09 17:36:14 +08:00
			`## POP3`
docs/cmdline-opts: spellfixes, typos and polish To make them accepted by the spell checker Closes #11562 2023-08-01 20:11:50 +08:00			`Specifies a custom POP3 command to use instead of LIST or RETR.`
curl.1: remove mentions of really old version changes To make the man page more readable, this change removes all references to changes in support/versions etc that happened before 7.30.0 from the curl.1 output file. 7.30.0 was released on Apr 12 2013. This particular limit is a bit arbitrary but was fairly easy to grep for. It is handled like this: the 'Added' keyword is only used in output if it refers to 7.30.0 or later. All occurances of "(Added in $VERSION)" in description will be stripped out if the mentioned $VERSION is from before 7.30.0. It is therefore important that the "Added in..." references are always written exactly like that - and on a single line, not split over two. This change removes about 80 version number references from curl.1, down to 138 from 218. Closes #7786 2021-09-28 16:30:59 +08:00			`(Added in 7.26.0)`
cmdline/docs/*.d: switch to using ## instead of .IP To make the editing easier. To write and to read. Closes #12667 2024-01-09 17:36:14 +08:00
			`## IMAP`
docs/cmdline-opts: spellfixes, typos and polish To make them accepted by the spell checker Closes #11562 2023-08-01 20:11:50 +08:00			`Specifies a custom IMAP command to use instead of LIST. (Added in 7.30.0)`
cmdline/docs/*.d: switch to using ## instead of .IP To make the editing easier. To write and to read. Closes #12667 2024-01-09 17:36:14 +08:00
			`## SMTP`
spellcheck: adapt to backslashed minuses As the curl.1 has more backslashed minus, the cleanup sed lines xneed to adapt. Adjusted some docs slighly. Follow-up to 439ff2052e Closes #11663 2023-08-12 05:51:15 +08:00			`Specifies a custom SMTP command to use instead of HELP or VRFY. (Added in 7.34.0)`