charles
TLDR
Start Charles Proxy
SYNOPSIS
charles [options]
DESCRIPTION
Charles is a cross-platform HTTP proxy and monitor that enables developers to view HTTP/HTTPS traffic between their machine and the Internet. It is particularly useful for debugging web applications, APIs, and mobile app network communication.
Key features include SSL proxying for decrypting HTTPS traffic, bandwidth throttling to simulate slow connections, request/response modification, breakpoints for intercepting requests, and automated testing support.
Charles presents traffic in a tree view organized by host, with detailed inspection of headers, cookies, request/response bodies, and timing information. Sessions can be saved for later analysis or sharing.
PARAMETERS
-config file
Load configuration from specified file.-port port
HTTP proxy port (default: 8888).-socks-port port
SOCKS proxy port.-headless
Run without GUI.-export file
Export session to file.-import file
Import session from file.-session file
Load session file on startup.
PROXY CONFIGURATION
Default HTTP proxy: localhost:8888
For HTTPS inspection:
1. Configure SSL Proxying in Charles settings
2. Install Charles Root Certificate on device
3. Trust certificate in system/browser
iOS/Android: Configure WiFi proxy to point to Charles IP:8888
CAVEATS
Charles is commercial software requiring a license after the trial period. HTTPS inspection requires installing Charles' root certificate, which has security implications. Some applications with certificate pinning may not work with Charles SSL proxying. Mobile device configuration requires network access to the Charles host.
HISTORY
Charles Proxy was created by Karl von Randow and first released in 2002. Originally developed for macOS, it expanded to Windows and Linux. The tool became widely adopted by mobile and web developers for debugging network traffic, particularly as mobile development grew and tools like browser developer tools were insufficient for native app debugging.
