curl_free(3)

✨ curl_free(3) ✨

okok so you found the libcurl manual, and this one is from the Library Functions Manual — it's literally the page about giving memory back. very demure, very responsible. 💅

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🌸 NAME 🌸

curl_free — reclaim memory that has been obtained through a libcurl call

like, when libcurl hands you a chunk of memory, this is the function that takes it back. bestie manners: return what you borrow. 🫶

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

#include <curl/curl.h>

void curl_free(void *ptr);

that's it. one arg, no return, iconic minimalism. ✨

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

curl_free reclaims memory that has been obtained through a libcurl call. ngl this is the whole job and it does it flawlessly.

so here's the thing — use curl_free(3) instead of free() to avoid anomalies that can result from differences in memory management between your application and libcurl. yeah. don't mix up your allocators, that's giving chaos energy and we don't stan. 😭

one little detail that slays: passing in a NULL pointer in ptr makes this function return immediately with no action. no crash, no drama, just vibes. 👑

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🌈 PROTOCOLS 🌈

This functionality affects all supported protocols

every single one. no cap. 💜

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🎀 EXAMPLE 🎀

int main(void)
{
  char *width = curl_getenv("COLUMNS");
  if(width) {
    /* it was set */
    curl_free(width);
  }
}

see what's happening? we got COLUMNS from the environment (a string libcurl allocated for us), checked it was actually set, and then handed it back with curl_free. free what you got from curl, periodt. 🧚

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⭐ AVAILABILITY ⭐

Added in curl 7.1

she's been around since 7.1, a true legacy icon. 👑

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💀 RETURN VALUE 💀

None

literally nothing. void. doesn't report anything back, doesn't want to chat. it just does the thing. 🍓

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

• curl_easy_escape(3)
• curl_easy_unescape(3)

those two also hand you memory you'll need to curl_free, iykyk — go read them next. 💖

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lowkey reminder: if libcurl gave it to you, let curl_free take it back. mixing in plain free() is where the anomalies live, and we are NOT doing that. 🙈

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made with love by libcurl, dated 2026-10-12 — that's the source and version, mwah, go write some memory-safe code bestie 🦋💖