CURLOPT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEYFILE(3) Introduction to Library Functions
CURLOPT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEYFILE - private key file for SSH auth
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEYFILE,
char *filename);
Pass a char pointer pointing to a filename for your private key. If
not used, libcurl defaults to $HOME/.ssh/id_rsa or $HOME/.ssh/id_dsa
if the HOME environment variable is set, and in the current directory
if HOME is not set.
If the file is password-protected, set the password with
CURLOPT_KEYPASSWD(3).
The SSH library derives the public key from this private key when
possible. If the SSH library cannot derive the public key from the
private one and no public one is provided with
CURLOPT_SSH_PUBLIC_KEYFILE(3), the transfer fails.
The application does not have to keep the string around after setting
this option.
As explained above
This functionality affects scp and sftp
int main(void)
{
CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
if(curl) {
CURLcode result;
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "sftp://example.com/file");
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEYFILE,
"/home/clarkkent/.ssh/id_rsa");
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_KEYPASSWD, "password");
result = curl_easy_perform(curl);
curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
}
}
Added in curl 7.16.1
curl_easy_setopt(3) returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.
CURLE_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error
occurred, see libcurl-errors(3).
CURLOPT_SSH_AUTH_TYPES(3), CURLOPT_SSH_PUBLIC_KEYFILE(3)
libcurl 2026-01-08 CURLOPT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEYFILE(3)
NAME
CURLOPT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEYFILE - private key file for SSH auth
SYNOPSIS
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEYFILE,
char *filename);
DESCRIPTION
Pass a char pointer pointing to a filename for your private key. If
not used, libcurl defaults to $HOME/.ssh/id_rsa or $HOME/.ssh/id_dsa
if the HOME environment variable is set, and in the current directory
if HOME is not set.
If the file is password-protected, set the password with
CURLOPT_KEYPASSWD(3).
The SSH library derives the public key from this private key when
possible. If the SSH library cannot derive the public key from the
private one and no public one is provided with
CURLOPT_SSH_PUBLIC_KEYFILE(3), the transfer fails.
The application does not have to keep the string around after setting
this option.
DEFAULT
As explained above
PROTOCOLS
This functionality affects scp and sftp
EXAMPLE
int main(void)
{
CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
if(curl) {
CURLcode result;
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "sftp://example.com/file");
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEYFILE,
"/home/clarkkent/.ssh/id_rsa");
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_KEYPASSWD, "password");
result = curl_easy_perform(curl);
curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
}
}
AVAILABILITY
Added in curl 7.16.1
RETURN VALUE
curl_easy_setopt(3) returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.
CURLE_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error
occurred, see libcurl-errors(3).
SEE ALSO
CURLOPT_SSH_AUTH_TYPES(3), CURLOPT_SSH_PUBLIC_KEYFILE(3)
libcurl 2026-01-08 CURLOPT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEYFILE(3)