CurlDotNet Tutorials

CurlDotNet tutorials for beginners: learn curl in C# step by step, with no prior programming experience assumed. The 14 tutorials below explain .NET, curl and async/await in plain English, then build up from your first Curl.ExecuteAsync request to JSON, headers, authentication, files, cancellation, parallel requests and debugging.

Tutorial Series

Foundation (Start Here)

1. What is .NET and C#? - Understanding the basics
2. What is curl? - The tool CurlDotNet brings to .NET
3. Understanding Async/Await - Why we use async and await

Getting Started

1. Your First Request - Make your first HTTP request
2. Understanding Results - Working with CurlResult
3. Handling Errors - When things go wrong

Working with Data

1. JSON for Beginners - Reading and sending JSON
2. Headers Explained - What headers are and why they matter
3. Authentication Basics - Passwords, tokens and API keys

Files and Forms

1. Files and Downloads - Downloading and uploading
2. Forms and Data - Submitting forms and request bodies

Advanced Concepts

1. Cancellation Tokens - Stopping requests
2. Parallel Requests - Multiple requests at once
3. Debugging Requests - Finding and fixing problems

Learning Goals

By the end of these tutorials you will understand:

• What .NET and C# are
• How to make HTTP requests
• How to handle responses
• How to work with JSON
• How to handle errors properly
• How to authenticate with APIs
• How to upload and download files
• How to debug when things do not work

How to Use These Tutorials

For Complete Beginners

• Start at Tutorial 1 and go in order
• Each tutorial builds on the previous one
• Try every code example yourself
• Do not worry if everything does not click immediately

For Those with Some Experience

• Skip Tutorials 1-3 if you already know .NET
• Jump to Tutorial 4 for CurlDotNet specifics
• Use the tutorials as a reference afterwards

Tutorial Format

Each tutorial follows the same structure:

1. What You’ll Learn - clear goals
2. Prerequisites - what you need to know first
3. The Concept - explained in plain English
4. Code Examples - lots of them
5. Try It Yourself - exercises
6. Common Mistakes - what to avoid
7. Next Steps - where to go next

What You Need

Required

• .NET SDK (free from Microsoft; see the installation guide)
• A text editor (Visual Studio Code is free)
• The CurlDotNet NuGet package

Not Required

• Prior programming experience
• Advanced mathematics
• Paid tools

Ready to Start?

Begin with Tutorial 1: What is .NET and C#?, or jump to a specific topic from the list above.

Stuck?

• Each tutorial has a “Common Problems” or “Common Mistakes” section
• Check the troubleshooting guide
• Ask in GitHub Discussions

Everyone starts as a beginner. Take your time and try the examples.

If you already know .NET you may prefer the API guide or the cookbook.