---
name: "CURLINFO_PRIVATE"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "curl"
version: "8.23.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/CURLINFO_PRIVATE"
---

# CURLINFO\_PRIVATE(3)

private pointer

## NAME

CURLINFO\_PRIVATE - private pointer

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_getinfo(CURL *handle, CURLINFO_PRIVATE, char **private);
```

## DESCRIPTION

Pass a pointer to a char pointer to receive the pointer to the private data associated with the curl handle (set with the *[CURLOPT\_PRIVATE(3)](/CURLOPT_PRIVATE/3.md)*). Please note that for internal reasons, the value is returned as a char pointer, although effectively being a 'void \*'.

## PROTOCOLS

This functionality affects all supported protocols

## EXAMPLE

```
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode result;
    void *pointer = (void *)0x2345454;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com/foo.bin");
    /* set the private pointer */
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_PRIVATE, pointer);
    result = curl_easy_perform(curl);
    /* extract the private pointer again */
    result = curl_easy_getinfo(curl, CURLINFO_PRIVATE, &pointer);
    if(result != CURLE_OK)
      printf("error: %s\n", curl_easy_strerror(result));
    curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
  }
}
```

## AVAILABILITY

Added in curl 7.10.3

## RETURN VALUE

*[curl\_easy\_getinfo(3)](/curl_easy_getinfo/3.md)* returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.

CURLE\_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error occurred, see *[libcurl-errors(3)](/libcurl-errors/3.md)*.

## SEE ALSO

[**CURLOPT\_PRIVATE**(3)](/CURLOPT_PRIVATE/3.md), [**curl\_easy\_getinfo**(3)](/curl_easy_getinfo/3.md), [**curl\_easy\_setopt**(3)](/curl_easy_setopt/3.md)