Need some explanation on "/usr/bin/curl"

[mirrorchild]

I like to ask what exactly is "/usr/bin/curl"? I don't know how is this related to the application isquint, it may just be a mere coincidence, but there was one time when I was opening up isquint and Little Snitch displays a dialogue asking whether to allow or deny "curl" connection to the web. I have for the time being set it to deny any connection.

I did search on google and see that it may have something to do with terminal or script or something, but I am just an average, non-advanced user, so I wouldn't understand what all that means.

Is this something I have to be worried about? For what reasons would an application cause this to happen?

 

[scan]

"Curl is a command line tool for transferring files with URL syntax, supporting FTP, FTPS, HTTP, HTTPS, GOPHER, TELNET, DICT, FILE and LDAP. Curl supports HTTPS certificates, HTTP POST, HTTP PUT, FTP uploading, kerberos, HTTP form based upload, proxies, cookies, user+password authentication, file transfer resume, http proxy tunneling and a busload of other useful tricks."


http://manual.modernbill.com/adminhelp/english/Installation/cURL/cURL_Setup.htm

 

[mirrorchild]

"Curl is a command line tool for transferring files with URL syntax, supporting FTP, FTPS, HTTP, HTTPS, GOPHER, TELNET, DICT, FILE and LDAP. Curl supports HTTPS certificates, HTTP POST, HTTP PUT, FTP uploading, kerberos, HTTP form based upload, proxies, cookies, user+password authentication, file transfer resume, http proxy tunneling and a busload of other useful tricks."


http://manual.modernbill.com/adminhelp/english/Installation/cURL/cURL_Setup.htm

I'm sorry, but I don't understand all that jargon. Is there an easier way to explain all these please?

Sorry to be a bother.

 

[iMeowbot]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand all that jargon. Is there an easier way to explain all these please?

curl is just a little Web and FTP browser without so much browser in it. It's mainly used to download files from the command line, that's really its purpose in life.

 

[4np]

Check the manpage by either typing 'man curl' in Terminal or -for example- in this first Google hit: http://curl.haxx.se/docs/manpage.html

the /usr/bin/curl is an executable to perform -mainly- HTTP(S) connections; there is also a curl library which you can use in your favorite programming language. There are for example also curl implementations for PHP.

If iSquint is using Curl I suspect it does a HTTP(S) request; possibly to look for updates... If you want to be sure; fire up a sniffer (ngrep?) and launch iSquint to have a look at what it is submitting....

Good luck

 

[PatrickF]

It's simply a command-line application used to download files.

 

[mirrorchild]

If iSquint is using Curl I suspect it does a HTTP(S) request; possibly to look for updates... If you want to be sure; fire up a sniffer (ngrep?) and launch iSquint to have a look at what it is submitting....

Good luck

Yes, you're right, isquint was just trying to download a new version.

Thanks for all the replies.