The name cURL stands for (client URL). The free software cURL is one of the oldest and most popular open-source projects. cURL is a cross-platform utility means you can use on Windows, MAC, and UNIX. All new macOS and Windows machines come with native cURL installed, so you do not need to put in any additional effort to start using cURL. Some older Operating systems may need manual installation for it to function. 

cURL is object-oriented programming software powered by LibcURL. cURL is widely used by developers to communicate with servers directly instead of having to go through a browser. Scripts based on cURL commands are used in testing and debugging. This tool is preferred for automation since it is designed to work without user interaction. It is also lightweight and easy to use. Few supported protocols of cURL are (HTTP, FTP, IMAP, POP3, SCP, SFTP, SMTP, TFTP, TELNET, LDAP, and more) Currently, cURL is being used in countless devices.

History in Short: cURL was first released in 1997 by Daniel Stenberg ( Swedish programmer) who started the project that eventually grew into what we know as cURL today. Initially, he aimed at developing a bot that would download currency exchange rates from a web page periodically and would provide Swedish Kronor equivalents in US dollars to IRC (Internet Relay Chat) users.