[SOLVED] Curl POST request return 400

Issue

I am writing a shell script to fire few POST curl requests. I get 400 when I use the below shell script.

#!/bin/sh
ENDPOINT="https://example.com:443/v1/API_NAME"
BODY='{"key1": "value1", "key2": "value2"}'
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -v -k -X POST $ENDPOINT -d $BODY

But when i use the body inline it works fine as show below:

curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -v -k -X POST $ENDPOINT -d '{"key1": "value1", "key2": "value2"}'

The difference in the logs as seen on terminal between both the requests is Content-Length. Somehow for 1st curl request the Content-Length is 1 which i believe is the reason of failure. Can someone help me why the content length is 1 and how to resolve this?

Solution

Use more quotes !

curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -v -k "$ENDPOINT" -d "$BODY"

The -X POST is not needed when using -d switch

Learn how to quote properly in shell, it's very important :

"Double quote" every literal that contains spaces/metacharacters and every expansion: "$var", "$(command "$var")", "${array[@]}", "a & b". Use 'single quotes' for code or literal $'s: 'Costs $5 US', ssh host 'echo "$HOSTNAME"'. See
http://mywiki.wooledge.org/Quotes
http://mywiki.wooledge.org/Arguments
https://web.archive.org/web/20230224010517/https://wiki.bash-hackers.org/syntax/words
when-is-double-quoting-necessary

Answered By - Gilles Quénot

Answer Checked By - Terry (WPSolving Volunteer)