CURLINFO\_EFFECTIVE\_METHOD(3) Library Functions Manual CURLINFO\_EFFECTIVE\_METHOD(3)

# [NAME](#NAME)

CURLINFO\_EFFECTIVE\_METHOD - last used HTTP request method

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

```
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_getinfo(CURL *handle, CURLINFO_EFFECTIVE_METHOD,


                           char **methodp);
```

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Pass in a pointer to a char pointer and get the last used effective HTTP method.

In cases when you have asked libcurl to follow redirects, the method may not be the same method the first request would use.

The **methodp** pointer is NULL or points to private memory. You **must not** free it. The memory gets freed automatically when you call [*curl\_easy\_cleanup(3)*](/man/os/curl/curl_easy_cleanup.3) on the corresponding curl handle.

# [PROTOCOLS](#PROTOCOLS)

This functionality affects http only

# [EXAMPLE](#EXAMPLE)

```
int main(void)
{


  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();


  if(curl) {


    CURLcode result;


    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com");


    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, "data");


    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1L);


    result = curl_easy_perform(curl);


    if(result == CURLE_OK) {


      char *method = NULL;


      curl_easy_getinfo(curl, CURLINFO_EFFECTIVE_METHOD, &method);


      if(method)


        printf("Redirected to method: %s\n", method);


    }


    curl_easy_cleanup(curl);


  }
}
```

# [AVAILABILITY](#AVAILABILITY)

Added in curl 7.72.0

# [RETURN VALUE](#RETURN_VALUE)

[*curl\_easy\_getinfo(3)*](/man/os/curl/curl_easy_getinfo.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)*](/man/os/curl/libcurl-errors.3).

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**CURLOPT\_CUSTOMREQUEST**(3)](/man/os/curl/CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST.3), [**CURLOPT\_FOLLOWLOCATION**(3)](/man/os/curl/CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION.3), [**curl\_easy\_getinfo**(3)](/man/os/curl/curl_easy_getinfo.3), [**curl\_easy\_setopt**(3)](/man/os/curl/curl_easy_setopt.3)

2026-10-19 libcurl

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Document: CURLINFO_EFFECTIVE_METHOD(3) from curl 8.23.0-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/curl/curl.git