Charles is a tool for analyzing web traffic that was first released in 2005. It allows monitoring of HTTP requests and responses and supports JSON and SOAP. Over time it added features like larger response sizes and TLS support. Compared to Wireshark, Charles has a simpler interface requiring no networking knowledge but only monitors specific apps, while Wireshark examines all network traffic but requires more expertise. Charles is supported by ongoing updates and works across Windows, Mac, and Linux. At $50 for three licenses, it provides a cost-effective way to debug web applications.