PHP CURL Using POST Raw JSON Data

Question

I am working with PHP curl for post, for some reason I couldn't post the form successfully.

$ch = curl_init();
$headers = [
            'x-api-key: XXXXXX',
            'Content-Type: text/plain'
        ];
$postData = array (
    'data1: value1',
    'data2: value2'
);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL,"XXXXXX");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $postData);           
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);

$server_output = curl_exec ($ch);

When I try using the same in post it works, but not with PHP.

var_dump($server_output) ==> string(67) ""require data1 and data2 or check the post parameters""
var_dump(curl_error($ch)) ==> string(0) ""

What do `var_dump($server_output)` and `var_dump(curl_error($ch))` give you? — laurent, Jul 03 '17 at 10:04
If you're sending `text/plain`, `$postData` should be a string, not an array. — Barmar, Jul 03 '17 at 10:06
I suggest you to check this answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/13596901/1970395 as it also applies to your case. You should build post string from your array instead of passing an array. — pzaj, Jul 03 '17 at 10:07
Are you sure the API wants the parameters in plain text? Most use either url-encoded or JSON. — Barmar, Jul 03 '17 at 10:09
So did you try adding the display_name and button_type parameters? — laurent, Jul 03 '17 at 10:13
@this.lau_ Apologies, it's a typo in question. Actually, its data1 and data2. Updated the question. — Prabhu Khanna Mahadevan, Jul 03 '17 at 10:15
@DollyAswin I changed the content type to "application/json" and the post is raw format. — Prabhu Khanna Mahadevan, Jul 03 '17 at 10:28
What happens if you completely remove the Content-Type from the headers array? Curl will use the default post content-type, which might be what your api expects. — laurent, Jul 03 '17 at 10:32

Dolly Aswin · Accepted Answer · 2022-11-16T03:31:38.600

29

If you wanna use Content-type: application/json and raw data, seem your data should be in json format

$ch = curl_init();
$headers  = [
            'x-api-key: XXXXXX',
            'Content-Type: application/json'
        ];
$postData = [
    'data1' => 'value1',
    'data2' => 'value2'
];
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL,"XXXXXX");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, json_encode($postData));           
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
$result     = curl_exec ($ch);
$statusCode = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);

edited Nov 16 '22 at 03:31

answered Jul 03 '17 at 10:39

Dolly Aswin

2,684
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23

1

The block array patterns is the key to the solution. – Codedreamer Jul 13 '20 at 16:19
3

Why is it text/plain in your answer? – danronmoon Dec 26 '21 at 22:57
1

I found that the header needs to be 'Content-Type: application/json' in order to process the requests "Raw" body content as JSON – Nathaniel Rogers Nov 16 '22 at 00:57

nensamuel · Answer 2 · 2021-12-26T07:09:33.107

If you want an arranged and explained format, see the code below.

// Set The API URL
$url = 'http://www.example.com/api';

// Create a new cURL resource
$ch = curl_init($url);

// Setup request to send json via POST`
$payload = json_encode(array(
    'data1' => 'value1',
    'data2' => 'value2'
   )
);

// Attach encoded JSON string to the POST fields
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $payload);

// Set the content type to application/json
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array('x-api-key: XXXXXX', 'Content-Type: application/json'));

// Return response instead of outputting
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);

// Execute the POST request
$result = curl_exec($ch);

// Get the POST request header status
$status = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);

// If header status is not Created or not OK, return error message
if ( $status !== 201 || $status !== 200 ) {
   die("Error: call to URL $url failed with status $status, response $result, curl_error " . curl_error($ch) . ", curl_errno " . curl_errno($ch));
}

// Close cURL resource
curl_close($ch);

// if you need to process the response from the API further
$response = json_decode($result, true);

I hope this helps someone

Check on status should be `if (!$status || !($status == 201 || $status == 200)) {` — Nick Weavers, Jul 04 '20 at 14:05
Why are both answers setting to Content-Type header to text/plain? — danronmoon, Dec 24 '21 at 18:02
@danronmoon Thanks for the observation, I just updated it to reflect 'application/json' — nensamuel, Dec 26 '21 at 07:10

PHP CURL Using POST Raw JSON Data

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