curl_strnequal(3)

💖 curl_strnequal — the case-insensitive string comparison bestie 💖

Okay so this is a libcurl manual page, from the Library Functions Manual — and honestly? It's giving "small function, big main character energy" ✨

---

🌸 NAME 🌸

curl_strnequal — compare two strings ignoring case 🫶

---

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

#include <curl/curl.h>

int curl_strnequal(const char *str1, const char *str2, size_t length);

---

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

So the curl_strnequal(3) function compares the two strings str1 and str2, and it ignores the case of the characters, periodt. It returns a non-zero (TRUE) integer if the strings are identical. Slay. 💖

This function compares no more than the first length bytes of str1 and str2 — lowkey a vibe check on just the beginning of your strings.

And here's the iconic part: this function uses plain ASCII based comparisons, completely disregarding the locale — contrary to how strcasecmp and other system case insensitive string comparisons usually work. No cap, it does not care about your locale settings at all. 🙈

This function is provided by libcurl to enable applications to compare strings in a truly portable manner. There are no standard portable case insensitive string comparison functions — so libcurl said "fine, I'll do it myself" 💀 and this function works on all platforms. Obsessed honestly. 🌈

---

✨ PROTOCOLS ✨

This functionality affects all supported protocols 🦋

---

🔥 EXAMPLE 🔥

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
  const char *name = "compare";
  if(curl_strnequal(name, argv[1], 5))
    printf("Name and input matches in the 5 first bytes\n");
}

Look at it go 🥹 — comparing "compare" against your input over the first 5 bytes.

---

⭐ AVAILABILITY ⭐

Added in curl 7.1 👑

---

🧚 RETURN VALUE 🧚

Non-zero if the strings are identical. Zero if they are not. Simple as that, bestie 💜

Also worth keeping in mind: non-zero here means TRUE, so don't be out here checking == 1, okay? 😭

---

💖 SEE ALSO 💖

• curl_strequal(3) — the sibling function, highkey its other half 🍓
• strcasecmp(3)
• strcmp(3)

---

And that's the whole thing, bestie! 🎀 Cute little sign-off: this page comes from libcurl, dated 2026-10-12, and it's blessed by the Library Functions Manual. Go forth and compare strings portably 💅✨