How to view browser requests?

Question

I'm working with another programmer and he recently sent me a new JSON-based API to work. He said that I could see examples of all of the API calls by going to a specific website and looking at my browser requests. My question is, how can I look at my browser requests? I've used Wireshark before to analyze packets that one of my programs was sending - is this what he's talking about? Is this "looking at my browser requests"? Or is there a simpler way to do this, perhaps on command line?

Answer 1

Use the built in tools or available plugins for any browser out there, like Firebug for Firefox or Chrome's developer tools. Each have a network tab that you can use to see all GET/POST requests and responses to any type of resource.

Wireshark lets you look deeper. While browser tools will only typically listen to HTTP traffic, Wireshark will let you listen to other protocols and to every packet sent through them.

If you're working with a REST API you'll be interested in using the browser's tools to watch incoming and outgoing calls.

Answer 2

I use Firebug almost daily. It should allow you to see the requests and much more. I believe it requires Firefox but might have been ported to Google Chrome as well.