C++ HTTP Client Libraries
HTTP client libraries for C++ provide system-level control and high performance. libcurl is the most widely used implementation, CPR offers a modern C++ wrapper, and cpp-httplib provides a header-only lightweight implementation. Complete memory management control enables use in embedded systems.
GitHub Star Comparison
| No | Name | GitHub Stars | Description | Trend | License | Type | Official Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | libcurl | - | Most widely used HTTP client library for C/C++. Supports numerous protocols including HTTPS, FTP, SMTP. Proven track record as foundation technology for curl command-line tool. Cross-platform compatible and adopted by many applications and libraries. | Maintains overwhelming position as de facto standard for C/C++ native HTTP communication in 2025. Essential in system programming, embedded development, and high-performance computing. Maintains stable long-term demand due to diverse protocol support and reliability. | MIT/X derived | Multi-protocol | Official |
| 2 | cpp-httplib | - | Header-only HTTP client and server library for C++11. Easy integration with single header file. Compactly provides HTTP/HTTPS support, SSL/TLS, multipart, range requests, basic authentication, and JSON processing capabilities. | Rapidly gaining popularity as lightweight HTTP client in C++ projects in 2025. Header-only design avoids build complexity and is favored in modern C++ development. Adopted as alternative to libcurl for projects requiring simple HTTP communication. | MIT | Header-only | Official |
| 3 | CPR (C++ Requests) | - | C++ HTTP client inspired by Python Requests library. Provides modern C++17 API as wrapper around libcurl. Enables intuitive HTTP request construction with features including JSON processing, authentication, SSL configuration, and proxy support. | Emerging library gaining attention in modern C++ development in 2025. Reduces learning cost for Python developers transitioning to C++ and valued for user-friendly API. Growing as choice that provides powerful libcurl features in more accessible form. | MIT | Modern wrapper | Official |
| 4 | curlpp | - | C++ wrapper library for libcurl. Utilizes C++ standard library structures providing exception safety and type safety. Design based on RAII principles with automated memory management. Achieves more C++-like interface while providing access to all libcurl features. | Supported by developers seeking to balance libcurl's high functionality with C++ safety in 2025. Continues adoption especially in enterprise environments and safety-focused projects. Market share declining due to rise of emerging libraries but maintains stable demand. | MIT | RAII wrapper | Official |