.\" generated by cd2nroff 0.1 from curl_easy_init.md
.TH curl_easy_init 3 "2024-11-18" libcurl
.SH NAME
curl_easy_init \- create an easy handle
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
#include <curl/curl.h>

CURL *curl_easy_init();
.fi
.SH DESCRIPTION
This function allocates and returns a CURL easy handle. Such a handle is used
as input to other functions in the easy interface. This call must have a
corresponding call to \fIcurl_easy_cleanup(3)\fP when the operation is complete.

The easy handle is used to hold and control a single network transfer. It is
encouraged to reuse easy handles for repeated transfers.

An alternative way to get a new easy handle is to duplicate an already
existing one with \fIcurl_easy_duphandle(3)\fP, which has the upside that it gets
all the options that were set in the source handle set in the new copy as
well.

If you did not already call \fIcurl_global_init(3)\fP before calling this function,
\fIcurl_easy_init(3)\fP does it automatically. This can be lethal in multi\-threaded
cases for platforms where \fIcurl_global_init(3)\fP is not thread\-safe, and it may
then result in resource problems because there is no corresponding cleanup.

You are strongly advised to not allow this automatic behavior, by calling
\fIcurl_global_init(3)\fP yourself properly. See the description in \fIlibcurl(3)\fP of
global environment requirements for details of how to use this function.
.SH PROTOCOLS
This functionality affects all supported protocols
.SH EXAMPLE
.nf
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode res;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com");
    res = curl_easy_perform(curl);
    curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
  }
}
.fi
.SH AVAILABILITY
Added in curl 7.1
.SH RETURN VALUE
If this function returns NULL, something went wrong and you cannot use the
other curl functions.
.SH SEE ALSO
.BR curl_easy_cleanup (3),
.BR curl_easy_duphandle (3),
.BR curl_easy_perform (3),
.BR curl_easy_reset (3),
.BR curl_global_init (3),
.BR curl_multi_init (3)