--- sidebar_position: 41 sidebar_label: url --- # url `url` function creates a table from the `URL` with given `format` and `structure`. `url` function may be used in `SELECT` and `INSERT` queries on data in [URL](../../engines/table-engines/special/url.md) tables. **Syntax** ``` sql url(URL, format, structure) ``` **Parameters** - `URL` — HTTP or HTTPS server address, which can accept `GET` or `POST` requests (for `SELECT` or `INSERT` queries correspondingly). Type: [String](../../sql-reference/data-types/string.md). - `format` — [Format](../../interfaces/formats.md#formats) of the data. Type: [String](../../sql-reference/data-types/string.md). - `structure` — Table structure in `'UserID UInt64, Name String'` format. Determines column names and types. Type: [String](../../sql-reference/data-types/string.md). **Returned value** A table with the specified format and structure and with data from the defined `URL`. **Examples** Getting the first 3 lines of a table that contains columns of `String` and [UInt32](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md) type from HTTP-server which answers in [CSV](../../interfaces/formats.md#csv) format. ``` sql SELECT * FROM url('http://127.0.0.1:12345/', CSV, 'column1 String, column2 UInt32') LIMIT 3; ``` Inserting data from a `URL` into a table: ``` sql CREATE TABLE test_table (column1 String, column2 UInt32) ENGINE=Memory; INSERT INTO FUNCTION url('http://127.0.0.1:8123/?query=INSERT+INTO+test_table+FORMAT+CSV', 'CSV', 'column1 String, column2 UInt32') VALUES ('http interface', 42); SELECT * FROM test_table; ``` ## Globs in URL {globs-in-url} Patterns in curly brackets `{ }` are used to generate a set of shards or to specify failover addresses. Supported pattern types and examples see in the description of the [remote](remote.md#globs-in-addresses) function. Character `|` inside patterns is used to specify failover addresses. They are iterated in the same order as listed in the pattern. The number of generated addresses is limited by [glob_expansion_max_elements](../../operations/settings/settings.md#glob_expansion_max_elements) setting.