NAME

       CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST - custom request method

SYNOPSIS

       #include <curl/curl.h>

       CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, char *method);

DESCRIPTION

       Pass a pointer to a null-terminated string as parameter.

       When  changing  the  request  method  by setting CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST(3), you do not actually change how
       libcurl behaves or acts: you only change the actual string sent in the request.

       libcurl passes on the verbatim string in its request without  any  filter  or  other  safe  guards.  That
       includes white space and control characters.

       The application does not have to keep the string around after setting this option.

       Using  this  option  multiple  times makes the last set string override the previous ones. Restore to the
       internal default by setting this to NULL.

       This option can be used to specify the request:

       HTTP   Instead of GET or HEAD when performing HTTP based  requests.  This  is  particularly  useful,  for
              example, for performing an HTTP DELETE request.

              For example:

              When you tell libcurl to do a HEAD request, but then specify a GET though a custom request libcurl
              still  acts as if it sent a HEAD. To switch to a proper HEAD use CURLOPT_NOBODY(3), to switch to a
              proper POST use CURLOPT_POST(3) or CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS(3)  and  to  switch  to  a  proper  GET  use
              CURLOPT_HTTPGET(3).

              Many  people have wrongly used this option to replace the entire request with their own, including
              multiple headers and POST contents. While that might work in many cases, it might cause libcurl to
              send invalid requests and it could possibly confuse the remote server badly.  Use  CURLOPT_POST(3)
              and CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS(3) to set POST data. Use CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER(3) to replace or extend the set
              of headers sent by libcurl. Use CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION(3) to change HTTP version.

       FTP    Instead of LIST and NLST when performing FTP directory listings.

       IMAP   Instead of LIST when issuing IMAP based requests.

       POP3   Instead of LIST and RETR when issuing POP3 based requests.

              For example:

              When  you  tell  libcurl  to  use a custom request it behaves like a LIST or RETR command was sent
              where it expects data to be returned by the server. As such CURLOPT_NOBODY(3) should be used  when
              specifying commands such as DELE and NOOP for example.

       SMTP   Instead of a HELP or VRFY when issuing SMTP based requests.

              For example:

              Normally   a   multi   line   response  is  returned  which  can  be  used,  in  conjunction  with
              CURLOPT_MAIL_RCPT(3), to specify an EXPN request. If the  CURLOPT_NOBODY(3)  option  is  specified
              then the request can be used to issue NOOP and RSET commands.

DEFAULT

       NULL

PROTOCOLS

       This functionality affects ftp, http, imap, pop3 and smtp

EXAMPLE

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

           /* DELETE the given path */
           curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, "DELETE");

           res = curl_easy_perform(curl);

           curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
         }
       }

AVAILABILITY

       Added in curl 7.1

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).

SEE ALSO

       CURLINFO_EFFECTIVE_METHOD(3), CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER(3), CURLOPT_NOBODY(3), CURLOPT_REQUEST_TARGET(3)

libcurl                                            2025-03-05                           CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST(3)