curl

Overview

curl is a command line tool and library for transferring data with URLs. In a Linux distribution, it is usually packaged because many scripts, build systems, and applications rely on it for network transfers through the command line tool or through libcurl-based software. The upstream project also documents libcurl as the network transfer library behind the tool. (curl.se)

Purpose and typical use cases

Typical uses include:

• downloading or uploading data over URL-based protocols from the shell or scripts;
• automating HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and other transfer workflows in build or CI jobs;
• providing libcurl as a reusable transfer library for applications written in C or with bindings for other languages;
• supporting admin and developer tasks such as fetching artifacts, testing endpoints, or scripting simple transfers. (curl.se)

Typical users include system administrators, developers, CI/CD maintainers, security engineers who inspect network transfer behavior, and desktop users who need a reliable command line transfer tool. The exact set of supported protocols and features depends on the upstream build configuration and should be verified when the package is updated. (curl.se)

Upstream project

Upstream documentation is hosted at the curl project website. The project pages provide the main documentation overview, the curl man page, the libcurl overview, and other project documentation. NiceOS maintainers should use the upstream docs as the reference point when checking changes in behavior or documentation coverage. (curl.se)

Dist-git repository contents

This dist-git repository contains the packaging metadata for the NiceOS RPM build:

• SPECS/ — RPM spec files and packaging logic;
• SOURCES/ — source manifests and related metadata used to track upstream inputs;
• METADATA/ — repository metadata used by the packaging workflow;
• SBOM/ — software bill of materials material, when present for the package.

The repository is meant to describe how curl is built for NiceOS, not to mirror the full upstream source tree. Large upstream source archives are intentionally not stored in this Git repository. (curl.se)

Source storage and integrity policy

Source integrity is tracked through manifest files in SOURCES/. Those manifests identify the upstream source inputs without requiring the large upstream archives to live in Git. This keeps the dist-git repository smaller and easier to review while preserving a record of what was used for the build.

When updating the package, maintainers should verify that the manifest entries still match the intended upstream release and that no source input has changed unexpectedly. If the packaging workflow regenerates source metadata, the updated manifests should be reviewed together with the spec file changes.

NiceOS maintenance notes

Before updating curl, NiceOS maintainers should check:

• whether upstream release notes or documentation mention behavior changes that could affect scripts or dependent packages;
• whether any spec logic depends on files, options, or build artifacts that may have changed upstream;
• whether SOURCES/ manifests need regeneration after refreshing upstream inputs;
• whether SBOM/ data, if maintained for this package, needs to be regenerated or reviewed;
• whether downstream patches still apply cleanly or should be dropped, refreshed, or explained;
• whether the package still builds and installs cleanly with the intended build flags in NiceOS.

Risks to consider:

• small upstream changes in protocol handling or defaults may affect automation;
• changes in documentation or build layout may require adjustments in packaging files;
• build-time options may alter the set of installed files or the exposed feature set, so those should be checked rather than assumed.

If any of these points is unclear from the update itself, NiceOS maintainers should verify it before relying on the package.

Build and verification checklist

Use this checklist for routine RPM maintenance:

1. Review the upstream release notes and documentation for behavior changes.
2. Compare the new upstream inputs against the existing SOURCES/ manifests.
3. Check the spec file for packaging changes, dropped patches, and file list updates.
4. Regenerate any repository metadata that depends on the upstream source set, if needed.
5. Build the SRPM and RPMs in the intended NiceOS build environment.
6. Verify that the expected binaries, libraries, man pages, and documentation files are installed.
7. Run package tests or smoke tests that match the package role in the distribution.
8. Confirm that the package metadata, subpackages, and file ownership remain consistent.
9. Review SBOM/ material if the repository uses it for this package.
10. Check the final build logs for new warnings, missing files, or packaging regressions.

References

• curl project home
• curl documentation overview
• curl tool documentation
• curl man page
• libcurl overview
• curl project documentation

Russian documentation

See README_RU.md.

Dist-git repository notes

• Package repository: rpms/curl
• NiceOS branch: niceos-5.2
• This README is intentionally stable and does not include EVR, source archive checksums or lock hashes.