An intro to cURL: The basics of the transfer tool

cURL is a versatile command-line tool used to transfer data to and from servers, supporting a wide range of internet protocols such as HTTP, FTP, and SMTP. It is commonly employed by developers for quick API testing during software development, offering features like proxy support, user authentication, and SSL connections. Key cURL options include specifying request methods with --request or -X, setting URLs with --url, adding headers with --header, and sending data using --data, primarily for POST requests. The text provides a practical demonstration of using cURL to interact with a Node.js/Express.js server, highlighting how to perform GET and POST requests on API endpoints and showcasing how cURL can be used to test various server functionalities.