HTTP Cat

httpcat

#!/bin/bash
#
# Usage:
#   httpcat URL

if [ "$#" -lt 1 ]; then
    echo "Usage: `basename $0` URL"
    exit 1
fi

read proto server path <<< "${1//"/"/ }"
DOC=/${path// //}
HOST=${server//:*}
PORT=${server//*:}
[[ x"${HOST}" == x"${PORT}" ]] && PORT=80

exec 3<>/dev/tcp/${HOST}/$PORT

# send request
echo -en "GET ${DOC} HTTP/1.0\r\nHost: ${HOST}\r\n\r\n" >&3

# read the header, it ends in a empty line (just CRLF)
while IFS= read -r line ; do 
    [[ "$line" == $'\r' ]] && break
done <&3

# read the data
nul='\0'
while IFS= read -d '' -r x || { nul=""; [ -n "$x" ]; }; do 
    printf "%s$nul" "$x"
done <&3
exec 3>&-