The Proxy Hidden in Your curl Configuration
Find curl’s default configuration, keep persistent proxy settings readable, and bypass them for one diagnosis.
You removed the proxy variables, opened a new terminal, and curl still connects to the same proxy. Before changing the system's network settings, check curl's own configuration file.
curl can load a default configuration when it starts. A persistent proxy entry uses its configuration syntax:
proxy = "http://203.0.113.10:8080"The configuration-file documentation explains the supported file locations and parsing rules. The address above is illustrative; the HTTP proxy list offers candidates for a permitted public-route test. Use the documented search order for your platform; a filename copied from an old Windows answer may miss the file your installed curl actually reads.
Start a comparison without the default file
Place -q first to suppress loading the default curl configuration. For an explicit direct request, also clear the proxy selection:
curl -q --proxy "" https://example.com/Suppressing the configuration file alone leaves other inputs, including environment variables. The empty proxy option makes the routing intention explicit. A deliberately loaded configuration elsewhere in your invocation still deserves inspection.
A shell alias or wrapper can add proxy options before curl sees your own arguments. If your minimal comparison behaves unexpectedly, inspect how the shell resolves the command as well as which configuration files exist.
Keep defaults boring
A default file is convenient for a stable personal route. Scripts that need a particular proxy should state that dependency clearly rather than relying on a developer's home-directory file.
Take care with credentials in persistent configuration. Restrict access to the file and avoid copying it into project repositories or support tickets. A useful diagnostic report names the selected proxy safely, without publishing its password.