How to Zip Files with cURL

Why Zip Files with cURL?

The pdfRest Zip Files API Tool provides a convenient way to compress multiple files into a single ZIP archive using a simple API call. This tutorial will guide you through the process of sending an API call to zip files using cURL, a command-line tool for transferring data with URLs. By leveraging this tool, you can automate the process of zipping files directly from your applications or scripts, saving time and effort.

In a real-world scenario, a user might need to zip files to facilitate easier sharing or storage. For instance, a company might want to compress multiple reports or documents into a single ZIP file to send to a client or archive for future reference. Using the pdfRest Zip Files API Tool simplifies this task by handling the compression on the server side, allowing the user to focus on other tasks.

Zip Files with cURL Code Example

curl -X POST "https://api.pdfrest.com/zip" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data" \
  -H "Api-Key: xxxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx" \
  -F "file=@/path/to/file" \
  -F "file=@/path/to/file" \
  -F "file=@/path/to/file" \
  -F "output=example_out"

Source: GitHub - pdf-rest-api-samples

Breaking Down the Code

The code snippet above demonstrates how to use cURL to make a POST request to the pdfRest Zip Files API endpoint. Let's break down each component of the code:

-X POST "https://api.pdfrest.com/zip"

This line specifies the HTTP method (POST) and the URL of the API endpoint you are targeting. Here, it is the zip endpoint of the pdfRest API.

-H "Accept: application/json"

This header tells the server that the client expects a JSON response. JSON is a lightweight data interchange format that is easy to read and write for humans and machines alike.

-H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data"

The Content-Type header specifies that the request body is in the form of multipart/form-data. This is necessary when uploading files, as it allows multiple files to be included in the request.

-H "Api-Key: xxxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx"

This line includes the API key required to authenticate the request. Replace the placeholder with your actual API key. The API key ensures that the request is authorized to use the pdfRest services.

-F "file=@/path/to/file"

The -F flag is used to specify form data. In this case, it is used to upload files to the server. You can include multiple -F flags to upload multiple files, as shown in the example.

-F "output=example_out"

This specifies the desired name for the output ZIP file. The server will return a ZIP file named according to the value provided here.

Beyond the Tutorial

In this tutorial, you learned how to use cURL to send a request to the pdfRest Zip Files API endpoint to compress multiple files into a single ZIP archive. This process can be particularly useful for streamlining file management tasks in various applications.

To explore more capabilities of the pdfRest API, you can demo all the available tools in the API Lab. For detailed information on all the endpoints and their parameters, refer to the API Reference Guide.

Note: This example demonstrates a multipart API call. For code samples using JSON payloads, visit the GitHub repository.