Frequently Asked Questions

Learn how to make the most of Drop CLI

Getting Started

How do I upload a file?

Simply use curl with the --upload-file flag:

curl --upload-file myfile.txt https://dropcli.com/upload

You'll receive a unique URL to share with others.

Can I upload from stdin?

Yes! You can pipe content directly:

echo "Hello World" | curl --upload-file - https://dropcli.com/upload

Or redirect output from any command:

cat logfile.txt | curl --upload-file - https://dropcli.com/upload
Advertisement

Ad Space (728x90)

Advanced Usage

How do I upload with encryption?

Encrypt your file before uploading using GPG or OpenSSL:

# Using GPG
gpg --encrypt --recipient you@example.com file.txt
curl --upload-file file.txt.gpg https://dropcli.com/upload

Or use OpenSSL for password-based encryption:

# Encrypt
openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -salt -in file.txt -out file.txt.enc
curl --upload-file file.txt.enc https://dropcli.com/upload

# Decrypt (on receiver's end)
curl https://dropcli.com/d/abc123 | openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -d -out file.txt
How do I upload a folder?

Compress the folder first, then upload the archive:

# Create tar.gz archive and upload
tar -czf - myfolder/ | curl --upload-file - https://dropcli.com/upload

Or create a zip file:

zip -r myfolder.zip myfolder/
curl --upload-file myfolder.zip https://dropcli.com/upload

Download and extract:

curl https://dropcli.com/d/abc123 | tar -xzf -
How do I show upload progress?

Use curl's progress bar:

curl --upload-file largefile.zip https://dropcli.com/upload --progress-bar

This displays a progress bar during the upload.

Automation & Scripting

Can I use this in scripts?

Absolutely! Here's a bash script example:

#!/bin/bash
FILE=$1
RESPONSE=$(curl -s --upload-file "$FILE" https://dropcli.com/upload)
echo "File uploaded: $RESPONSE"

# Copy URL to clipboard (macOS)
echo "$RESPONSE" | pbcopy
echo "URL copied to clipboard!"

Save this as upload.sh, make it executable, and use: ./upload.sh myfile.txt

How do I upload multiple files?

Loop through files in a directory:

for file in *.log; do
    url=$(curl -s --upload-file "$file" https://dropcli.com/upload)
    echo "$file -> $url"
done
Can I schedule automatic uploads?

Yes, use cron for scheduled uploads:

# Upload daily backup at 2 AM
0 2 * * * tar -czf - /var/backups/ | curl --upload-file - https://dropcli.com/upload/backup-$(date +\%Y\%m\%d).tar.gz

Add this line to your crontab: crontab -e

Advertisement

Ad Space (728x90)

Security & Privacy

Are my files secure?

We take security seriously:

  • All uploads are encrypted in transit using HTTPS/TLS
  • Files are stored with unique, unguessable URLs
  • Files are stored encrypted at rest
  • Files are automatically deleted after expiration
  • No personal information is required to use the service

For sensitive data, we recommend using client-side encryption (see "How do I upload with encryption?" above).

Can I password-protect uploads?

Use OpenSSL to encrypt with a password:

# Upload
openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -pbkdf2 -in secret.txt -out secret.txt.enc
curl --upload-file secret.txt.enc https://dropcli.com/upload

# Download and decrypt
curl https://dropcli.com/d/abc123 | openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -pbkdf2 -d -out secret.txt

The receiver will need to know the password to decrypt the file.

How long are files stored?

Files are automatically deleted after 3 days. This ensures:

  • Your data doesn't remain accessible indefinitely
  • Storage is used efficiently
  • Privacy is maintained

Downloading Files

How do I download from terminal?

Use curl or wget:

# Using curl
curl https://dropcli.com/d/abc123 -o myfile.txt

# Using wget
wget https://dropcli.com/d/abc123 -O myfile.txt
Can I download directly to stdout?

Yes, pipe the output to other commands:

# View file content
curl -s https://dropcli.com/d/abc123

# Search within file
curl -s https://dropcli.com/d/abc123 | grep "error"

# Extract archive directly
curl -s https://dropcli.com/d/abc123 | tar -xzf -

Troubleshooting

Upload failed - what should I check?
  • File size: Ensure your file is under 10 GB
  • Network: Check your internet connection
  • Curl version: Update curl if you have an old version
  • Firewall: Ensure outbound HTTPS connections are allowed

Add -v flag to curl for verbose output to diagnose issues.

Getting SSL certificate errors?

Update your system's CA certificates:

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install ca-certificates

# macOS
brew install ca-certificates

# CentOS/RHEL
sudo yum update ca-certificates
Quick Links
Advertisement

300x250