cURL - How do you login to https as a browser, with cookies, Security?

Using cURL, how do you login to https as a browser, with cookies? How do you maintain a SSL session? Is it easier to just login and out for every request?

Are there security issues? Is it possible to verify that cURL is sending an encrypted post?

I’ve read various post, but didn’t see where it was all pulled together in one place. Kind of difficult for a newbie nonprogrammer to follow. Sorry for so many questions.