Find the curl Difference: Headers, Auth, and Body Side by Side
Find the curl difference between two requests—Authorization, headers, query, and JSON body. Use Spoold curl Compare to spot token drift and payload changes online.
Most curl differences hide in three places.
When two requests “look the same”, the curl difference is almost always headers, auth, or the body. Paste both into curl Compare and read those sections first—before you fight shell quoting.
1. Authorization and auth drift
Rotated secrets are the #1 silent break. One curl still has yesterday's Bearer token; the other uses a new key or a different header name (Authorization vs X-API-Key). In curl Compare, check the Auth and Headers tables—the curl difference shows up as a single highlighted row.
JWT tip
If the token looks opaque, paste it into JWT Decode to see exp / aud. Then return to compare to confirm which request still carries the expired value.
2. Header differences that break APIs
Content-Type / Accept
application/json vs form-encoded is a classic. The structured header diff in curl Compare catches it immediately.
Gateway / CDN headers
Extra Origin, Referer, or custom X-* headers from the browser often explain “works in Postman only”.
Scan every header key in the compare tables. If a key exists on only one side, that curl difference is your lead.
3. Body and JSON payload changes
Bodies are where field renames and null vs omitted hide. After you see a body delta in curl Compare, paste both JSON blobs into JSON Diff for a deep structural report. Keep curl Compare as the outer shell—JSON Diff for the payload.
Quick checklist
- Open curl Compare.
- Paste failing vs working curls.
- Read Auth → Headers → Query → Body in that order.
- Only then open the Monaco / raw line diff for leftovers.
- Fix the request; re-test in curl Viewer if you want to send it.
Example: same URL, different token
Left (working) and right (401) often share the path and body. The only curl difference is Authorization: Bearer …. Structured compare makes that obvious in one glance—use the tool instead of scrolling a single-line dump.
More in the curl cluster
FAQ
What does “curl difference” mean?
Any field that differs between two curl commands—especially auth, headers, query, or body. curl Compare is built to surface that difference.
Should I redact tokens?
Yes before sharing. The tool is local, but tickets and Slack are not.
Can I compare only the JSON bodies?
Use JSON Diff for bodies alone. For full HTTP context, stay on curl Compare.
Find your curl difference
Paste two commands into curl Compare and check headers, auth, and body first.
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Find the curl Difference