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

# CURLOPT\_ECH(3)

configuration for Encrypted Client Hello

## NAME

CURLOPT\_ECH - configuration for Encrypted Client Hello

## SYNOPSIS

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

## DESCRIPTION

This feature is **experimental** and may change before it is considered stable. We advise against using it in production.

ECH is only compatible with TLSv1.3.

Pass a string that specifies configuration details for ECH. In all cases, if ECH is attempted, it may fail for various reasons. The keywords supported are:

- false

  Turns off ECH.

- grease

  Instructs client to emit a GREASE ECH extension. (The connection fails if ECH is attempted but fails.)

- true

  Instructs client to attempt ECH, if possible, but to not fail if attempting ECH is not possible.

- hard

  Instructs client to attempt ECH and fail if attempting ECH is not possible.

- ecl:\<base64-value\>

  If the string starts with *ecl:* then the remainder of the string should be a base64-encoded ECHConfigList that is used for ECH rather than attempting to download such a value from the DNS.

- pn:\<name\>

  If the string starts with *pn:* then the remainder of the string should be a DNS/hostname that is used to over-ride the public\_name field of the ECHConfigList that is used for ECH.

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

Using this option multiple times makes the last set string override the previous ones. Set it to NULL or "false" to disable its use again.

## DEFAULT

NULL, meaning ECH is disabled.

## PROTOCOLS

This functionality affects  all TLS based protocols: HTTPS, FTPS, IMAPS, POP3S, SMTPS etc. only

This option works only with the following TLS backends: OpenSSL, Rustls and wolfSSL

## EXAMPLE

```
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  static const char *config =
    "ecl:AED+DQA87wAgACB/RuzUCsW3uBbSFI7mzD63TUXpI8sGDTnFTbFCDpa+"
    "CAAEAAEAAQANY292ZXIuZGVmby5pZQAA";
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode result;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_ECH, config);
    result = curl_easy_perform(curl);
    curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
  }
}
```

## AVAILABILITY

Added in curl 8.8.0

## RETURN VALUE

*[curl\_easy\_setopt(3)](/curl_easy_setopt/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\_DOH\_URL**(3)](/CURLOPT_DOH_URL/3.md)