How do I install and use curl on Windows?

Question

I am having trouble getting curl to run on Windows.

I have downloaded a curl zip file from here, but it seems to contain source code, not an executable.

Do I need to compile curl to run it? If yes, then how do I do that?

Where can I find .exe downloads for curl?

I have looked for documentation on installing curl, but there is little to be found.

Answer 1

The simplest tutorial for setting up cURL on Windows is the Making cURL work on Windows 7. It only have 3 easy steps.

Answer 2

As you already know, you can find several packages of binaries on the official curl website.

Once you download a package, unzip it wherever you want. I recommend adding its location to your path, so you can call curl from batch or powershell scripts. To add a directory to your path type "environment variables" in the start menu, and select "edit user environment variables". Select Path, and add to the end of the "value" box: ;C:\curl\directory (with the directory changed to where you saved curl.)

If you want to use SSL you need a certificate bundle. Run either mk-ca-bundle.pl (perl) or mk-ca-bundle.vbs (VBScript). Some of the packages of binaries include one or both of them. If your download doesn't include one, download one here: https://github.com/bagder/curl/tree/master/lib. I recommend mk-ca-bundle.vbs, as on windows you simply double click it to run it. It will produce a file called ca-bundle.crt. Rename it curl-ca-bundle.crt and save it in the directory with curl.exe.

Alternatively, I recently developed an msi installer that sets up a full featured build of curl with just a few clicks. It automatically ads curl to your path, includes a ready-to-use ssl certificate bundle, and makes the curl manual and documentation accessible from the start menu. You can download it at www.confusedbycode.com/curl/.

Answer 3

You can build the latest version of curl, openssl, libssh2 and zlib in 3 simple steps by following this tutorial.

Curl is built statically so you do not have to distribute the prerequisite dynamic runtime.

You can also download a prebuilt version (x86 and x64) from SourceForge.

Answer 4

I had a lot of issues with curl for Windows. I finally used Cygwin, which includes curl by default.

Answer 5

Thought I'd write exactly what I did (Windows 10, 64-bit):

From the download page https://curl.haxx.se/download.html choose the download wizard https://curl.haxx.se/dlwiz/

Choose curl executable.

Choose Win64.

Choose generic.

Choose any.

Choose x86_64.

Choose the first recommended option. For me this was:

curl version: 7.53.1 - SSL enabled SSH enabled. Provided by: Viktor Szakáts. This package is type curl executable You will get a pre-built 'curl' binary from this link (or in some cases, by using the information that is provided at the page this link takes you). You may or may not get 'libcurl' installed as a shared library/DLL. The file is packaged using 7zip. 7zip is a file archiving format.

Click download.

You should have the file curl-7.53.1-win64-mingw.7z in your downloads folder.

Install 7-Zip if you don't have it.

Right-click, 7-Zip, Extract Here. Copy and paste the extracted file somewhere like Z:\Tools\

If you look in the bin folder you'll see curl.exe. If you double-click it a window will quickly flash up and vanish. To run it you need to use the Command Prompt. Navigate to the bin folder and type curl followed by your parameters to make a request. You must use double-quotes. Single quotes won't work with curl on Windows.

Now you'll want to add curl to a user's Path variable so you don't have to navigate to the right folder to run the program. Go to This PC, Computer, System Properties, Advanced system settings, authenticate as an administrator (you're not running as admin, right? Right?) Environment Variables, System variables, look at the list and select Path, then Edit, then New, then, e.g.

Z:\Tools\curl-7.53.1-win64-mingw\bin

You can add a trailing backslash if you like, I don't think it matters. Click move up until it's at the top of the list, then you can see it easily from the previous screen. Click OK, OK, OK, then crack open a Command Prompt and you can run curl by typing curl from any folder, as any user. Don't forget your double-quotes.

This is the answer I wish I'd had.

Answer 6

I have successfully used Windows curl-installer: http://open-edx-windows-7-installation-instructions.readthedocs.io/en/latest/6_Install_cURL_for_Windows.html

by using cURL for Windows direct download link with msi-installer. Remember to reboot your system after installing.