wp-remote-requests.php

<?php
	///////////////////////////////////////
	# WordPress Remote Request (Retreive)
	///////////////////////////////////////
	$url = 'https://external-site.com/api/?json=1';
	// $response = file_get_contents($url);	// old method
	$request = wp_remote_get( $token_url, array( 'sslverify' => false, 'timeout' => 120 ) );
	$response = wp_remote_retrieve_body( $request );
	
	echo '<pre>';
	print_r( $response );
	echo '</pre>';
	
	///////////////////////////////////////
	# WordPress Remote Request (Submit)
	///////////////////////////////////////
	$url = 'https://external-site.com/api/?json=1';
	$args = array(
		'method' 		=> 'POST',
		'timeout' 		=> 45,
		'redirection' 	=> 5,
		'httpversion' 	=> '1.0',
		'blocking' 		=> true,
		'headers' 		=> array(),
		'body' 			=> array( 'username' => 'bob', 'password' => '1234xyz' ),
		'cookies' 		=> array()
	);
	$request = wp_remote_post( $url, $args );
	$response = wp_remote_retrieve_body( $request );
	
	////////////////////////////////////////////////////
	# WordPress Remote Request (Ignoring 404 Errors)
	////////////////////////////////////////////////////
	$url = 'https://external-site.com/api/?json=1';
	$response = wp_remote_get($url);				// Test out Response first....
	if( is_wp_error( $response ) || wp_remote_retrieve_response_code( $response ) != 200 ) return false;
	$result = wp_remote_retrieve_body( $response );	// Now grab the contents
?>

As seen on http://timebath.net/no-need-for-curl/