How to Resume Downloads with Curl Command

Need to resume interrupted downloads? The curl command line tool offers a powerful way to continue file transfers from where they left off. This guide shows you how to effectively use curl's resume capabilities to save time and bandwidth when downloading large files.

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About This Software

Curl is a versatile command line tool that supports resuming downloads using the -C (continue at) option. When your download is interrupted, you can use the same command with the -C flag to resume from the last byte downloaded. This is particularly useful for unstable connections or when downloading large files over extended periods. The tool supports HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and other protocols, making it a versatile solution for various download scenarios.

Key Features

1
Resume interrupted downloads from exact byte position
2
Support for multiple protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP
3
Bandwidth efficient by continuing from last download point
4
Command line interface for automation in scripts
5
No additional software installation required on most systems

How to Use

To resume a download, use the same curl command with the -C - flag. For example: 'curl -C - -O http://example.com/largefile.zip'. The -C - tells curl to automatically determine the offset to resume from. If you know the exact byte position, you can specify it directly with -C [number].

Conclusion

Start using curl's resume functionality today to make your downloads more efficient and reliable. Bookmark this guide for quick reference when your downloads get interrupted.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I resume a download with curl?

Use the -C - flag with your curl command: 'curl -C - -O http://example.com/file.zip' to resume from the last byte downloaded.

Can curl resume downloads from any website?

Curl can resume downloads from servers that support range requests, which includes most modern web servers and FTP servers.

What happens if the server doesn't support resume?

If the server doesn't support range requests, curl will restart the download from the beginning. You can check server support with curl -I --range 0-1 http://example.com/file.zip.