---
name: "CURLOPT_CAPATH"
section: "3"
platform: "macos"
package: "curl"
version: "166.0.0.0.1"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/CURLOPT_CAPATH"
---

# CURLOPT\_CAPATH(3)

directory holding CA certificates

## NAME

CURLOPT\_CAPATH - directory holding CA certificates

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_CAPATH, char *capath);
```

## DESCRIPTION

Pass a char pointer to a null-terminated string naming a directory holding multiple CA certificates to verify the peer with. If libcurl is built against OpenSSL, the certificate directory must be prepared using the OpenSSL c\_rehash utility. This makes sense only when used in combination with the *[CURLOPT\_SSL\_VERIFYPEER(3)](/CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER/3.md)* option.

The *[CURLOPT\_CAPATH(3)](/CURLOPT_CAPATH/3.md)* function apparently does not work in Windows due to some limitation in OpenSSL.

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

The default value for this can be figured out with *[CURLINFO\_CAPATH(3)](/CURLINFO_CAPATH/3.md)*.

## DEFAULT

A default path detected at build time.

## PROTOCOLS

All TLS based protocols: HTTPS, FTPS, IMAPS, POP3S, SMTPS etc.

## EXAMPLE

```
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode res;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com/");
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_CAPATH, "/etc/cert-dir");
    res = curl_easy_perform(curl);
    curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
  }
}
```

## AVAILABILITY

This option is supported by the OpenSSL, GnuTLS and mbedTLS (since 7.56.0) backends.

## RETURN VALUE

CURLE\_OK if supported; or an error such as:

CURLE\_NOT\_BUILT\_IN - Not supported by the SSL backend

CURLE\_UNKNOWN\_OPTION

CURLE\_OUT\_OF\_MEMORY

## SEE ALSO

[**CURLINFO\_CAPATH**(3)](/CURLINFO_CAPATH/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_CAINFO**(3)](/CURLOPT_CAINFO/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_DEBUGFUNCTION**(3)](/CURLOPT_DEBUGFUNCTION/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_STDERR**(3)](/CURLOPT_STDERR/3.md)