---
name: "CURLOPT_MAXAGE_CONN"
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_MAXAGE_CONN"
---

# CURLOPT\_MAXAGE\_CONN(3)

max idle time allowed for reusing a connection

## NAME

CURLOPT\_MAXAGE\_CONN - max idle time allowed for reusing a connection

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_MAXAGE_CONN, long age);
```

## DESCRIPTION

Pass a long as parameter containing *age* - the maximum time in seconds allowed for an existing connection to have been idle to be considered for reuse for this request.

The "connection cache" holds previously used connections. When a new request is to be done, libcurl considers any connection that matches for reuse. The *[CURLOPT\_MAXAGE\_CONN(3)](/CURLOPT_MAXAGE_CONN/3.md)* limit prevents libcurl from trying too old connections for reuse, since old connections have a higher risk of not working and thus trying them is a performance loss and sometimes service loss due to the difficulties to figure out the situation. If a connection is found in the cache that is older than this set *age*, it is closed instead.

## DEFAULT

Default maximum age is set to 118 seconds.

## PROTOCOLS

All

## EXAMPLE

```
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com");
    /* only allow 30 seconds idle time */
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_MAXAGE_CONN, 30L);
    curl_easy_perform(curl);
  }
}
```

## AVAILABILITY

Added in 7.65.0

## RETURN VALUE

Returns CURLE\_OK.

## SEE ALSO

[**CURLOPT\_FORBID\_REUSE**(3)](/CURLOPT_FORBID_REUSE/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_FRESH\_CONNECT**(3)](/CURLOPT_FRESH_CONNECT/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_MAXLIFETIME\_CONN**(3)](/CURLOPT_MAXLIFETIME_CONN/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_TIMEOUT**(3)](/CURLOPT_TIMEOUT/3.md)