From 37ab2469c182b1dd85306d3ceb062b458f36759b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Dio Putra Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:36:36 +0700 Subject: [PATCH] docs: clarify retry-max-time timing Closes #21411 --- docs/cmdline-opts/retry-max-time.md | 10 ++++++++++ 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+) diff --git a/docs/cmdline-opts/retry-max-time.md b/docs/cmdline-opts/retry-max-time.md index a577758581..45c141fb7f 100644 --- a/docs/cmdline-opts/retry-max-time.md +++ b/docs/cmdline-opts/retry-max-time.md @@ -23,6 +23,16 @@ while performing, it may take longer than this given time period. To limit a single request's maximum time, use --max-time. Set this option to zero to not timeout retries. +The retry timer starts immediately before the first transfer attempt and +includes time spent sleeping between retries (such as delays defined by +--retry-delay). Before each new retry is started, curl checks whether the +elapsed time has reached the specified limit. If it has, no further retries are +performed. + +A transfer that has already started is allowed to run to completion even if +this makes the total wall clock time exceed the limit. Use --max-time to also +cap the duration of each individual transfer attempt. + Starting in curl 8.16.0, this option accepts a time as decimal number for parts of seconds. The decimal value needs to be provided using a dot (.) as decimal separator - not the local version even if it might be using another separator.