---
name: "CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR"
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_COOKIEJAR"
---

# CURLOPT\_COOKIEJAR(3)

filename to store cookies to

## NAME

CURLOPT\_COOKIEJAR - filename to store cookies to

## SYNOPSIS

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

## DESCRIPTION

Pass a *filename* as a char \*, null-terminated. This makes libcurl write all internally known cookies to the specified file when *[curl\_easy\_cleanup(3)](/curl_easy_cleanup/3.md)* is called. If no cookies are kept in memory at that time, no file is created. Specify "-" as filename to instead have the cookies written to stdout. Using this option also enables cookies for this session, so if you for example follow a redirect it makes matching cookies get sent accordingly.

Note that libcurl does not read any cookies from the cookie jar specified with this option. To read cookies from a file, use *[CURLOPT\_COOKIEFILE(3)](/CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE/3.md)*.

If the cookie jar file cannot be created or written to (when the *[curl\_easy\_cleanup(3)](/curl_easy_cleanup/3.md)* is called), libcurl does not and cannot report an error for this. Using *[CURLOPT\_VERBOSE(3)](/CURLOPT_VERBOSE/3.md)* or *[CURLOPT\_DEBUGFUNCTION(3)](/CURLOPT_DEBUGFUNCTION/3.md)* displays a warning, but that is the only visible feedback you get about this possibly lethal situation.

Cookies are imported in the Set-Cookie format without a domain name are not exported by this option.

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

## DEFAULT

NULL

## PROTOCOLS

HTTP

## EXAMPLE

```
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode res;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com/foo.bin");
    /* export cookies to this file when closing the handle */
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "/tmp/cookies.txt");
    res = curl_easy_perform(curl);
    /* close the handle, write the cookies! */
    curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
  }
}
```

## AVAILABILITY

Along with HTTP

## RETURN VALUE

Returns CURLE\_OK if HTTP is supported, CURLE\_UNKNOWN\_OPTION if not, or CURLE\_OUT\_OF\_MEMORY if there was insufficient heap space.

## SEE ALSO

[**CURLOPT\_COOKIE**(3)](/CURLOPT_COOKIE/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_COOKIEFILE**(3)](/CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_COOKIELIST**(3)](/CURLOPT_COOKIELIST/3.md)