How to Check Your Curl Version

Knowing which version of curl is installed on your system is essential for troubleshooting network requests, ensuring security compliance, and verifying supported protocols. This quick guide shows you how to easily find your curl version on Linux, macOS, and Windows using a single terminal command.

The Standard Curl Version Command

To check the installed version of curl on any operating system, open your command-line interface (Terminal on macOS/Linux, or Command Prompt/PowerShell on Windows) and run the following command:

curl --version

Alternatively, you can use the shorthand flag:

curl -V

Understanding the Output

When you run this command, the system will output several lines of detailed information. The most important details include:

  • Version Number: The first line displays the primary curl version (for example, curl 8.4.0).
  • Release Date: The release date of that specific version, listed next to the version number.
  • SSL/TLS Library: The cryptography library curl is using to handle secure connections (such as OpenSSL, LibreSSL, or Schannel).
  • Protocols: A list of all supported protocols that your specific curl installation can handle (such as HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, and SCP).
  • Features: Enabled compilation features, such as AsynDNS, IPv6, Largefile, NLS, and SSL.