CLI HTTP Client

This tool is a custom-built HTTP client operated via the command line. It supports URL validation, method selection, custom headers, query parameters, body payloads, file input, and response parsing.

Implemented Features

• URL Handling
  The client validates and accepts standard HTTP/HTTPS URLs. Improperly formed URLs trigger an error and halt execution.

• HTTP Methods
  Supported methods include: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE. Any unsupported method results in an error.

• Headers
  Custom headers can be passed using repeated --headers or -H arguments. Multiple key-value pairs are accepted per flag, comma-separated. Later headers override earlier ones with the same key. All headers are normalized to lowercase before dispatch.

• Query Parameters
  Query parameters can be set using --query or -Q with the same format and behavior as headers. Parameters are automatically appended to the provided URL.

• Body Data
  The --data or -D flag sets the request body in application/x-www-form-urlencoded format. The structure is not corrected; if invalid, a warning is displayed. The client still sends the data as-is.

• JSON Support
  The --json flag enables sending raw JSON data. It sets the Content-Type: application/json header unless explicitly overridden. Invalid JSON does not block the request but generates a warning.

• File Uploads
  The --file flag accepts a file path to use as the body payload. If no content type is specified, it defaults to application/octet-stream. Header precedence is respected.

• Timeouts
  The --timeout flag defines the max wait time (in seconds) for receiving the first response byte. The client aborts requests exceeding this limit and notifies the user. The timeout applies only during the waiting phase, not during data reception.

• Response Handling
  The client prints response status code, message, headers, and body with readable formatting. If the response body is binary or a known file type (e.g., PDF, image), the body is dumped to console and optionally saved (if implemented).

• Loading Indicator (Optional Feature)
  A loading bar or percentage animation is shown from request initiation until the full response is received. This feature is compatible with timeout tracking.

• Error Handling and Warnings
  All inputs are validated. Errors (e.g., malformed URLs, invalid methods) halt execution. Non-blocking issues (e.g., malformed body format) trigger warnings but do not stop the request.

Behavior Summary

The client operates via a single-step CLI execution. All parameters must be passed explicitly. No interactive prompts are used. Input parsing supports repeated and compound arguments. The tool mimics the behavior of curl while offering structured validation and layered override logic for headers and content types.