rurl
A rough cURL-like CLI written in Rust for learning and experimentation.
Implementation notes
rurl is a deliberately rough cURL-style tool in Rust. It is not meant to replace cURL and is mainly useful as a personal learning and experimentation project.
Project snapshot
Problem
I wanted to understand HTTP client ergonomics in Rust by building a minimal, imperfect alternative to cURL.
What it does
- Sends basic HTTP requests from a Rust CLI.
- Provides a lightweight playground for request/response handling.
- Acts as a learning project for CLI and networking patterns.
Use cases
- Learning Rust by recreating familiar command-line workflows.
- Running simple local API checks.
- Experimenting with request formatting and output handling.
Stack and architecture
- Rust command-line application.
- HTTP request handling with a small executable footprint.
- Simple CLI argument parsing and terminal output.
Status and roadmap
Current status: Active. Published 2/10/2026 and last updated 2/10/2026.
- Improve parity with common cURL flags over time.
- Keep the scope small and learning-focused.
- Document limitations clearly instead of overpromising.
Links
Related research posts
Browse the security research hub for related writing.