readUrl | MuleSoft Documentation
# readUrl
## readUrl(url: String, contentType: String = "application/dw", readerProperties: Object = {}): Any
Reads a URL, including a classpath-based URL, and returns parsed content. This function works similar to the `read` function.
The classpath-based URL uses the `classpath:` protocol prefix, for example: `classpath://myfolder/myFile.txt` where `myFolder` is located under `src/main/resources` in a Mule project. Other than the URL, `readURL` accepts the same arguments as `read`.
### Parameters
Name | Description  
---|---  
The URL string to read. It also accepts a classpath-based URL.  
`contentType` | A supported format (or MIME type). Default: `application/dw`.  
`readerProperties` | Optional: Sets reader configuration properties. For other formats and reader configuration properties, see Supported Data Formats.  
### Example
This example reads a JSON object from a URL. (For readability, the output values shown below are shortened with `…​`.)
#### Source
```
%dw 2.0
output application/json
---
readUrl("https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1", "application/json")
```

#### Output
```
{ "userId": 1, "id": 1, "title": "sunt aut ...", "body": "quia et ..." }
```

### Example
This example reads a JSON object from a `myJsonSnippet.json` file located in the `src/main/resources` directory in Studio. (Sample JSON content for that file is shown in the Input section below.) After reading the file contents, the script transforms selected fields from JSON to CSV. Reading files in this way can be useful when trying out a DataWeave script on sample data, especially when the source data is large and your script is complex.
#### Source
```
%dw 2.0
var myJsonSnippet = readUrl("classpath://myJsonSnippet.json", "application/json")
output application/csv
---
(myJsonSnippet.results map(item) -> item.profile)
```

#### Input
```
{
 "results": [
  {
   "profile": {
    "firstName": "john",
    "lastName": "doe",
    "email": "johndoe@demo.com"
   },
   "data": {
    "interests": [
     {
      "language": "English",
      "tags": [
       "digital-strategy:Digital Strategy",
       "innovation:Innovation"
      ],
      "contenttypes": []
     }
    ]
   }
  },
  {
   "profile": {
   "firstName": "jane",
    "lastName": "doe",
    "email": "janedoe@demo.com"
   },
   "data": {
    "interests": [
     {
      "language": "English",
      "tags": [
       "tax-reform:Tax Reform",
       "retail-health:Retail Health"
      ],
      "contenttypes": [
       "News",
       "Analysis",
       "Case studies",
       "Press releases"
      ]
     }
    ]
   }
  }
 ]
}
```

#### Output
```
firstName,lastName,email
john,doe,johndoe@demo.com
jane,doe,janedoe@demo.com
```

### Example
This example reads a CSV file from a URL, sets reader properties to indicate that there’s no header, and then transforms the data to JSON.
#### Source
```
%dw 2.0
output application/json
---
readUrl("https://mywebsite.com/data.csv", "application/csv", {"header" : false})
```

#### Input
```
Max,the Mule,MuleSoft
```

#### Output
```
[
 {
  "column_0": "Max",
  "column_1": "the Mule",
  "column_2": "MuleSoft"
 }
]
```

### Example
This example reads a simple `dwl` file from the `src/main/resources` directory in Studio, then dynamically reads the value of the key `name` from it. (Sample content for the input file is shown in the Input section below.)
#### Source
```
%dw 2.0
output application/json
---
(readUrl("classpath://name.dwl", "application/dw")).firstName
```

#### Input
```
{
 "firstName" : "Somebody",
 "lastName" : "Special"
}
```

#### Output