“httpflow” is a command-line utility designed to capture and dump HTTP streams, providing users with the ability to inspect and analyze HTTP traffic passing through their system. It offers a convenient way to monitor HTTP requests and responses, making it useful for debugging, testing, and troubleshooting network-related issues. Here are some key features and aspects of httpflow:
- HTTP Stream Capture: httpflow captures HTTP streams passing through the system, including both incoming requests and outgoing responses. It intercepts network traffic and parses HTTP headers and payloads, allowing users to inspect the contents of HTTP messages in real-time.
- Command-Line Interface: Users interact with httpflow through the command line, providing commands and options to start, stop, and configure the HTTP stream capture. This makes it easy to use and integrates seamlessly with other command-line tools and workflows.
- Real-Time Analysis: httpflow provides real-time analysis of HTTP streams, displaying information such as request methods, URLs, response status codes, headers, and payload sizes. This allows users to monitor HTTP traffic as it occurs and identify potential issues or anomalies.
- Filtering and Search: httpflow offers options for filtering and searching HTTP traffic based on various criteria, such as request or response headers, URLs, status codes, or payload contents. This helps users focus on specific parts of the HTTP stream and isolate relevant information for analysis.
- Export and Save: httpflow allows users to export captured HTTP streams to files for further analysis or archival purposes. Users can save HTTP requests and responses to text files or other formats, enabling offline analysis or sharing with colleagues.
- Integration with Other Tools: httpflow can be integrated with other command-line tools and scripts to automate HTTP stream analysis tasks or incorporate HTTP traffic monitoring into larger workflows. This flexibility makes it a valuable tool for network administrators, developers, and security professionals.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: httpflow is compatible with various operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows. This ensures that users can utilize the tool regardless of their preferred platform.
- Open Source and Community Support: httpflow is an open-source project hosted on GitHub, allowing users to view the source code, contribute improvements, report issues, and provide feedback. The project benefits from community contributions and collaboration, ensuring its continued development and maintenance.
httpflow Command Examples
1. Capture traffic on all interfaces:
# httpflow -i [any]
2. Use a bpf-style capture to filter the results:
# httpflow [host httpbin.org or host baidu.com]
3. Use a regular expression to filter requests by URLs:
# httpflow -u '[regular_expression]'
4. Read packets from pcap format binary file:
# httpflow -r [out.cap]
5. Write the output to a directory:
# httpflow -w [path/to/directory]
Summary
Overall, httpflow is a versatile and powerful tool for capturing and analyzing HTTP streams from the command line. Its real-time analysis capabilities, filtering and search options, export features, and integration capabilities make it a valuable asset for anyone involved in network monitoring, debugging, or security analysis.