CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT(3)

💖 NAME 💖

okay so this is CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT(3) from the Library Functions Manual, and it is literally the “timeout for the connect phase” bestie. no cap. 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <curl/curl.h>

CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT, long timeout);

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

You pass a long. It sets the maximum time in seconds that you allow the connection phase to take. This timeout only limits the connection phase — it has no impact once libcurl has connected. periodt.

The connection phase includes the name resolve (DNS) and all protocol handshakes and negotiations until there is an established connection with the remote side. so yes, it is doing a lot of main character work. 👑

Set this option to zero to switch to the default built-in connection timeout — 300 seconds. See also the CURLOPT_TIMEOUT(3) option.

CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT_MS(3) is the same function but set in milliseconds. slay for the millisecond girlies. ⏱️

If both CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT(3) and CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT_MS(3) are set, the value set last is used. iykyk.

The connection timeout is included in the general all-covering CURLOPT_TIMEOUT(3):

With CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT(3) set to 3 and CURLOPT_TIMEOUT(3) set to 5, the operation can never last longer than 5 seconds, and the connection phase cannot last longer than 3 seconds.

With CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT(3) set to 4 and CURLOPT_TIMEOUT(3) set to 2, the operation can never last longer than 2 seconds. Including the connection phase.

⚠️ okay important bestie: this option may cause libcurl to use the SIGALRM signal to timeout system calls on builds not using asynch DNS. In Unix-like systems, this might cause signals to be used unless CURLOPT_NOSIGNAL(3) is set. so like, vibe check your signals, fr fr. 💀

🌟 DEFAULT 🌟

300

🌈 PROTOCOLS 🌈

This functionality affects all supported protocols. all of them. ate. 💖

🎀 EXAMPLE 🎀

int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com");

    /* complete connection within 10 seconds */
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT, 10L);

    curl_easy_perform(curl);
  }
}

⭐ AVAILABILITY ⭐

Added in curl 7.7. she’s been iconic for a minute. 🫶

💜 RETURN VALUE 💜

curl_easy_setopt(3) returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.

CURLE_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error occurred, see libcurl-errors(3). so if it’s not 0, go read that page, bestie. 😭

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

• CURLOPT_LOW_SPEED_LIMIT(3)
• CURLOPT_MAX_RECV_SPEED_LARGE(3)
• CURLOPT_TIMEOUT(3)

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💌 cute little sign-off: this page is from libcurl, dated 2026-10-12, and the manual page is CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT(3). bye bestie, go set your timeouts responsibly! 🧚🌸