# C++ Requests (cpr) — Curl for People

> cpr is a modern C++ HTTP client library inspired by Python Requests. It wraps libcurl in a clean, intuitive API that makes HTTP calls as simple as writing Python.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# C++ Requests (cpr) — Curl for People

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install via vcpkg
vcpkg install cpr
# Or via CMake FetchContent:
# include(FetchContent)
# FetchContent_Declare(cpr GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/libcpr/cpr.git GIT_TAG 1.11.1)
# FetchContent_MakeAvailable(cpr)
# target_link_libraries(myapp cpr::cpr)
```

## Introduction
cpr brings the simplicity of Python's Requests library to C++. Instead of wrestling with libcurl's C API, developers write clean, expressive HTTP calls using familiar patterns like cpr::Get, cpr::Post, and named parameters.

## What cpr Does
- Performs HTTP GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, and HEAD requests with a fluent API
- Handles authentication, cookies, redirects, and SSL verification automatically
- Supports asynchronous requests via std::future for non-blocking I/O
- Manages multipart file uploads and form-encoded data
- Provides session objects for connection reuse and persistent settings

## Architecture Overview
cpr is a C++ wrapper around libcurl. Each request function constructs a curl handle, applies named parameters (URL, headers, body, auth), executes the transfer, and returns a Response object with status, headers, and body. Sessions maintain a curl handle across requests for connection pooling.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via vcpkg, Conan, or CMake FetchContent with automatic libcurl bundling
- Link with cpr::cpr in CMake; libcurl is fetched and built automatically if not found
- Set timeouts with cpr::Timeout{milliseconds} parameter
- Configure SSL certificates with cpr::SslOptions
- Use cpr::Session for persistent headers, cookies, and base URLs

## Key Features
- Python-Requests-style API that feels natural to C++ developers
- Automatic libcurl bundling eliminates manual dependency management
- Async request support via cpr::GetAsync returning std::future<Response>
- Built-in support for HTTP/2 and connection multiplexing via libcurl
- Thread-safe session objects for concurrent request patterns

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **libcurl (C)** — libcurl is the underlying engine; cpr adds a modern C++ API layer that reduces boilerplate significantly
- **cpp-httplib** — cpp-httplib is header-only with its own HTTP stack; cpr leverages libcurl's mature networking layer
- **Boost.Beast** — Beast provides low-level HTTP on Boost.Asio; cpr is higher-level and simpler for typical REST calls
- **httplib** — httplib suits simple use cases; cpr handles advanced scenarios like HTTP/2, proxies, and async natively

## FAQ
**Q: Does cpr bundle libcurl?**
A: Yes. If libcurl is not found on the system, CMake fetches and builds it automatically.

**Q: Is cpr thread-safe?**
A: Individual requests are thread-safe. Session objects should not be shared across threads without synchronization.

**Q: Does cpr support HTTP/2?**
A: Yes, when the underlying libcurl is built with HTTP/2 support (nghttp2).

**Q: What C++ standard does cpr require?**
A: cpr requires C++17 or later.

## Sources
- https://github.com/libcpr/cpr
- https://docs.libcpr.org/

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-0b595c6c
Author: Script Depot