---
title: Execute a GraphQL query with curl
description: Learn about execute a graphql query with curl in Cloudflare analytics.
image: https://edgetunnel-b2h.pages.dev/core-services-preview.png
---

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# Execute a GraphQL query with curl

Using a plain curl to send a query provides the ability to slice-n-dice with the results and apply post-processing if needed. For example, converting results received from GraphQL API into a CSV format.

For more functionality, like auto-completion, schema exploring, etc., you can look at GraphQL [clients](https://edgetunnel-b2h.pages.dev/analytics/graphql-api/getting-started/compose-graphql-query/).

GraphQL API expects JSON with two essentials fields: "query" and "variables".

A query should be stripped from newline symbols and sent as a single-line string when the variables is an object full of values for all placeholders used in the query:

**A payload structure for GraphQL API**

```json
{
  "query": "{viewer { ... }}",
  "variables": {}
}
```

It is still possible to use a human-friendly query though. In the example below you can see how `echo` piped together with `tr` to provide a proper payload with `curl`:

**Example bash script that uses curl to query Analytics API**

```bash
echo '{ "query":
  "{
    viewer {
      zones(filter: { zoneTag: $zoneTag }) {
        firewallEventsAdaptive(
          filter: $filter
          limit: 10
          orderBy: [datetime_DESC]
        ) {
          action
          clientAsn
          clientCountryName
          clientIP
          clientRequestPath
          clientRequestQuery
          datetime
          source
          userAgent
        }
      }
    }
  }",
  "variables": {
    "zoneTag": "<zone-tag>",
    "filter": {
      "datetime_geq": "2022-07-24T11:00:00Z",
      "datetime_leq": "2022-07-24T12:00:00Z"
    }
  }
}' | tr -d '\n' | curl --silent \
https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/graphql \
--header "Authorization: Bearer <API_TOKEN>" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--data @-
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","@id":"https://edgetunnel-b2h.pages.dev/analytics/graphql-api/getting-started/execute-graphql-query/#page","headline":"Execute a GraphQL query with curl · Cloudflare Analytics docs","description":"Learn about execute a graphql query with curl in Cloudflare analytics.","url":"https://edgetunnel-b2h.pages.dev/analytics/graphql-api/getting-started/execute-graphql-query/","inLanguage":"en","image":"https://edgetunnel-b2h.pages.dev/core-services-preview.png","dateModified":"2026-04-23","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Cloudflare","url":"https://www.cloudflare.com/"},"isPartOf":{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://edgetunnel-b2h.pages.dev/#website","name":"Cloudflare Docs","url":"https://edgetunnel-b2h.pages.dev/"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/directory/","name":"Directory"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/analytics/","name":"Analytics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"/analytics/graphql-api/","name":"GraphQL Analytics API"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@id":"/analytics/graphql-api/getting-started/","name":"Get started"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@id":"/analytics/graphql-api/getting-started/execute-graphql-query/","name":"Execute a GraphQL query with curl"}}]}
```