5 [This document describes installation on all supported operating
6 systems (currently mainly the Linux/Unix family, OpenVMS and
9 To install OpenSSL, you will need:
11 * A make implementation
12 * Perl 5 with core modules (please read NOTES.PERL)
13 * The perl module Text::Template (please read NOTES.PERL)
15 * a development environment in the form of development libraries and C
17 * a supported operating system
19 For additional platform specific requirements and other details,
20 please read one of these:
23 * NOTES.WIN (any supported Windows)
24 * NOTES.DJGPP (DOS platform with DJGPP)
29 If you want to just get on with it, do:
45 on Windows (only pick one of the targets for configuration):
47 $ perl Configure { VC-WIN32 | VC-WIN64A | VC-WIN64I | VC-CE }
52 [If any of these steps fails, see section Installation in Detail below.]
54 This will build and install OpenSSL in the default location, which is:
56 Unix: normal installation directories under /usr/local
57 OpenVMS: SYS$COMMON:[OPENSSL-'version'...], where 'version' is the
58 OpenSSL version number with underscores instead of periods.
59 Windows: C:\Program Files\OpenSSL or C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenSSL
61 If you want to install it anywhere else, run config like this:
65 $ ./config --prefix=/opt/openssl --openssldir=/usr/local/ssl
69 $ @config --prefix=PROGRAM:[INSTALLS] --openssldir=SYS$MANAGER:[OPENSSL]
75 There are several options to ./config (or ./Configure) to customize
76 the build (note that for Windows, the defaults for --prefix and
77 --openssldir depend in what configuration is used and what Windows
78 implementation OpenSSL is built on. More notes on this in NOTES.WIN):
81 The top of the installation directory tree. Defaults are:
84 Windows: C:\Program Files\OpenSSL
85 or C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenSSL
86 OpenVMS: SYS$COMMON:[OPENSSL-'version']
89 Directory for OpenSSL configuration files, and also the
90 default certificate and key store. Defaults are:
93 Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\SSL
94 or C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\SSL
95 OpenVMS: SYS$COMMON:[OPENSSL-COMMON]
98 Don't build with support for deprecated APIs below the
99 specified version number. For example "--api=1.1.0" will
100 remove support for all APIS that were deprecated in OpenSSL
101 version 1.1.0 or below.
104 Don't build the AFALG engine. This option will be forced if
105 on a platform that does not support AFALG.
108 Do not use assembler code. On some platforms a small amount
109 of assembler code may still be used.
112 Do not build support for async operations.
115 Don't automatically load all supported ciphers and digests.
116 Typically OpenSSL will make available all of its supported
117 ciphers and digests. For a statically linked application this
118 may be undesirable if small executable size is an objective.
119 This only affects libcrypto. Ciphers and digests will have to
120 be loaded manually using EVP_add_cipher() and
121 EVP_add_digest() if this option is used. This option will
122 force a non-shared build.
125 Don't automatically load all libcrypto/libssl error strings.
126 Typically OpenSSL will automatically load human readable
127 error strings. For a statically linked application this may
128 be undesirable if small executable size is an objective.
132 Don't build the CAPI engine. This option will be forced if
133 on a platform that does not support CAPI.
136 Don't build support for CMS features
139 Don't build support for SSL/TLS compression. If this option
140 is left enabled (the default), then compression will only
141 work if the zlib or zlib-dynamic options are also chosen.
144 Build support for debugging memory allocated via
145 OPENSSL_malloc() or OPENSSL_zalloc().
147 enable-crypto-mdebug-backtrace
148 As for crypto-mdebug, but additionally provide backtrace
149 information for allocated memory.
150 TO BE USED WITH CARE: this uses GNU C functionality, and
151 is therefore not usable for non-GNU config targets. If
152 your build complains about the use of '-rdynamic' or the
153 lack of header file execinfo.h, this option is not for you.
154 ALSO NOTE that even though execinfo.h is available on your
155 system (through Gnulib), the functions might just be stubs
159 Don't build support for Certificate Transparency.
162 Don't build with support for any deprecated APIs. This is the
163 same as using "--api" and supplying the latest version
167 Don't build support for datagram based BIOs. Selecting this
168 option will also force the disabling of DTLS.
171 Don't build support for loading Dynamic Shared Objects.
174 Don't build the dynamically loaded engines. This only has an
175 effect in a "shared" build
178 Don't build support for Elliptic Curves.
181 Don't build support for binary Elliptic Curves
183 enable-ec_nistp_64_gcc_128
184 Enable support for optimised implementations of some commonly
185 used NIST elliptic curves. This is only supported on some
189 Build support for gathering entropy from EGD (Entropy
193 Don't build support for loading engines.
196 Don't compile in any error strings.
199 Don't compile in filename and line number information (e.g.
200 for errors and memory allocation).
203 Don't build support for GOST based ciphersuites. Note that
204 if this feature is enabled then GOST ciphersuites are only
205 available if the GOST algorithms are also available through
206 loading an externally supplied engine.
209 Build support for DTLS heartbeats.
212 Don't build the padlock engine.
215 Don't generate dependencies.
218 Don't build support for writing multiple records in one
219 go in libssl (Note: this is a different capability to the
220 pipelining functionality).
223 Don't build support for the NPN TLS extension.
226 Don't build support for OCSP.
229 Don't build with support for Position Independent Code.
232 Don't use POSIX IO capabilities.
235 Don't build support for Pre-Shared Key based ciphersuites.
238 Don't use hardware RDRAND capabilities.
241 Don't build support for RFC3779 ("X.509 Extensions for IP
242 Addresses and AS Identifiers")
245 Build support for SCTP
248 Do not create shared libraries, only static ones. See "Note
249 on shared libraries" below.
252 Don't build support for socket BIOs
255 Don't build support for SRP or SRP based ciphersuites.
258 Don't build SRTP support
261 Exclude SSE2 code paths. Normally SSE2 extension is
262 detected at run-time, but the decision whether or not the
263 machine code will be executed is taken solely on CPU
264 capability vector. This means that if you happen to run OS
265 kernel which does not support SSE2 extension on Intel P4
266 processor, then your application might be exposed to
267 "illegal instruction" exception. There might be a way
268 to enable support in kernel, e.g. FreeBSD kernel can be
269 compiled with CPU_ENABLE_SSE, and there is a way to
270 disengage SSE2 code pathes upon application start-up,
271 but if you aim for wider "audience" running such kernel,
272 consider no-sse2. Both the 386 and no-asm options imply
276 Build with the SSL Trace capabilities (adds the "-trace"
277 option to s_client and s_server).
280 Don't build the statically linked engines. This only
281 has an impact when not built "shared".
284 Don't use any C "stdio" features. Only libcrypto and libssl
285 can be built in this way. Using this option will suppress
286 building the command line applications. Additionally since
287 the OpenSSL tests also use the command line applications the
288 tests will also be skipped.
291 Don't try to build with support for multi-threaded
295 Build with support for multi-threaded applications. Most
296 platforms will enable this by default. However if on a
297 platform where this is not the case then this will usually
298 require additional system-dependent options! See "Note on
299 multi-threading" below.
302 Don't build Time Stamping Authority support.
305 Don't build with the "UI" capability (i.e. the set of
306 features enabling text based prompts).
309 Enable additional unit test APIs. This should not typically
310 be used in production deployments.
312 enable-weak-ssl-ciphers
313 Build support for SSL/TLS ciphers that are considered "weak"
314 (e.g. RC4 based ciphersuites).
317 Build with support for zlib compression/decompression.
320 Like "zlib", but has OpenSSL load the zlib library
321 dynamically when needed. This is only supported on systems
322 where loading of shared libraries is supported.
325 On Intel hardware, use the 80386 instruction set only
326 (the default x86 code is more efficient, but requires at
327 least a 486). Note: Use compiler flags for any other CPU
328 specific configuration, e.g. "-m32" to build x86 code on
332 Don't build support for negotiating the specified SSL/TLS
333 protocol (one of ssl, ssl3, tls, tls1, tls1_1, tls1_2, dtls,
334 dtls1 or dtls1_2). If "no-tls" is selected then all of tls1,
335 tls1_1 and tls1_2 are disabled. Similarly "no-dtls" will
336 disable dtls1 and dtls1_2. The "no-ssl" option is synonymous
337 with "no-ssl3". Note this only affects version negotiation.
338 OpenSSL will still provide the methods for applications to
339 explicitly select the individual protocol versions.
342 As for no-<prot> but in addition do not build the methods for
343 applications to explicitly select individual protocol
347 Build with support for the specified algorithm, where <alg>
348 is one of: md2 or rc5.
351 Build without support for the specified algorithm, where
352 <alg> is one of: bf, blake2, camellia, cast, chacha, cmac,
353 des, dh, dsa, ecdh, ecdsa, idea, md4, md5, mdc2, ocb,
354 ploy1305, rc2, rc4, rmd160, scrypt, seed or whirlpool. The
355 "ripemd" algorithm is deprecated and if used is synonymous
358 -Dxxx, -lxxx, -Lxxx, -fxxx, -mXXX, -Kxxx
359 These system specific options will be passed through to the
360 compiler to allow you to define preprocessor symbols, specify
361 additional libraries, library directories or other compiler
365 Installation in Detail
366 ----------------------
368 1a. Configure OpenSSL for your operation system automatically:
370 NOTE: This is not available on Windows.
372 $ ./config [options] # Unix
376 $ @config [options] ! OpenVMS
378 For the remainder of this text, the Unix form will be used in all
379 examples, please use the appropriate form for your platform.
381 This guesses at your operating system (and compiler, if necessary) and
382 configures OpenSSL based on this guess. Run ./config -t to see
383 if it guessed correctly. If you want to use a different compiler, you
384 are cross-compiling for another platform, or the ./config guess was
385 wrong for other reasons, go to step 1b. Otherwise go to step 2.
387 On some systems, you can include debugging information as follows:
389 $ ./config -d [options]
391 1b. Configure OpenSSL for your operating system manually
393 OpenSSL knows about a range of different operating system, hardware and
394 compiler combinations. To see the ones it knows about, run
400 $ perl Configure # All other platforms
402 For the remainder of this text, the Unix form will be used in all
403 examples, please use the appropriate form for your platform.
405 Pick a suitable name from the list that matches your system. For most
406 operating systems there is a choice between using "cc" or "gcc". When
407 you have identified your system (and if necessary compiler) use this name
408 as the argument to Configure. For example, a "linux-elf" user would
411 $ ./Configure linux-elf [options]
413 If your system isn't listed, you will have to create a configuration
414 file named Configurations/{something}.conf and add the correct
415 configuration for your system. See the available configs as examples
416 and read Configurations/README and Configurations/README.design for
419 The generic configurations "cc" or "gcc" should usually work on 32 bit
422 Configure creates a build file ("Makefile" on Unix and "descrip.mms"
423 on OpenVMS) from a suitable template in Configurations, and
424 defines various macros in crypto/opensslconf.h (generated from
425 crypto/opensslconf.h.in).
427 1c. Configure OpenSSL for building outside of the source tree.
429 OpenSSL can be configured to build in a build directory separate from
430 the directory with the source code. It's done by placing yourself in
431 some other directory and invoking the configuration commands from
436 $ mkdir /var/tmp/openssl-build
437 $ cd /var/tmp/openssl-build
438 $ /PATH/TO/OPENSSL/SOURCE/config [options]
442 $ /PATH/TO/OPENSSL/SOURCE/Configure [target] [options]
446 $ set default sys$login:
447 $ create/dir [.tmp.openssl-build]
448 $ set default [.tmp.openssl-build]
449 $ @[PATH.TO.OPENSSL.SOURCE]config {options}
453 $ @[PATH.TO.OPENSSL.SOURCE]Configure {target} {options}
458 $ mkdir \temp-openssl
460 $ perl d:\PATH\TO\OPENSSL\SOURCE\Configure {target} {options}
462 Paths can be relative just as well as absolute. Configure will
463 do its best to translate them to relative paths whenever possible.
465 2. Build OpenSSL by running:
468 $ mms ! (or mmk) OpenVMS
471 This will build the OpenSSL libraries (libcrypto.a and libssl.a on
472 Unix, corresponding on other platforms) and the OpenSSL binary
473 ("openssl"). The libraries will be built in the top-level directory,
474 and the binary will be in the "apps" subdirectory.
476 If the build fails, look at the output. There may be reasons for
477 the failure that aren't problems in OpenSSL itself (like missing
478 standard headers). If it is a problem with OpenSSL itself, please
479 report the problem to <rt@openssl.org> (note that your message
480 will be recorded in the request tracker publicly readable at
481 https://www.openssl.org/community/index.html#bugs and will be
482 forwarded to a public mailing list). Please check out the request
483 tracker. Maybe the bug was already reported or has already been
486 [If you encounter assembler error messages, try the "no-asm"
487 configuration option as an immediate fix.]
489 Compiling parts of OpenSSL with gcc and others with the system
490 compiler will result in unresolved symbols on some systems.
492 3. After a successful build, the libraries should be tested. Run:
496 $ nmake test # Windows
498 If some tests fail, look at the output. There may be reasons for
499 the failure that isn't a problem in OpenSSL itself (like a
500 malfunction with Perl). You may want increased verbosity, that
501 can be accomplished like this:
503 $ make VERBOSE=1 test # Unix
505 $ mms /macro=(VERBOSE=1) test ! OpenVMS
507 $ nmake VERBOSE=1 test # Windows
509 If you want to run just one or a few specific tests, you can use
510 the make variable TESTS to specify them, like this:
512 $ make TESTS='test_rsa test_dsa' test # Unix
513 $ mms/macro="TESTS=test_rsa test_dsa" test ! OpenVMS
514 $ nmake TESTS='test_rsa test_dsa' test # Windows
516 And of course, you can combine (Unix example shown):
518 $ make VERBOSE=1 TESTS='test_rsa test_dsa' test
520 You can find the list of available tests like this:
522 $ make list-tests # Unix
523 $ mms list-tests ! OpenVMS
524 $ nmake list-tests # Windows
526 Have a look at the manual for the perl module Test::Harness to
527 see what other HARNESS_* variables there are.
529 If you find a problem with OpenSSL itself, try removing any
530 compiler optimization flags from the CFLAGS line in Makefile and
531 run "make clean; make" or corresponding.
533 Please send a bug reports to <rt@openssl.org>.
535 4. If everything tests ok, install OpenSSL with
537 $ make install # Unix
538 $ mms install ! OpenVMS
540 This will install all the software components in this directory
541 tree under PREFIX (the directory given with --prefix or its
546 bin/ Contains the openssl binary and a few other
549 Contains the header files needed if you want
550 to build your own programs that use libcrypto
552 lib Contains the OpenSSL library files.
553 lib/engines Contains the OpenSSL dynamically loadable engines.
554 share/man/{man1,man3,man5,man7}
555 Contains the OpenSSL man-pages.
556 share/doc/openssl/html/{man1,man3,man5,man7}
557 Contains the HTML rendition of the man-pages.
559 OpenVMS ('arch' is replaced with the architecture name, "Alpha"
562 [.EXE.'arch'] Contains the openssl binary and a few other
565 Contains the header files needed if you want
566 to build your own programs that use libcrypto
568 [.LIB.'arch'] Contains the OpenSSL library files.
570 Contains the OpenSSL dynamically loadable engines.
571 [.SYS$STARTUP] Contains startup, login and shutdown scripts.
572 These define appropriate logical names and
576 Additionally, install will add the following directories under
577 OPENSSLDIR (the directory given with --openssldir or its default)
580 certs Initially empty, this is the default location
581 for certificate files.
582 private Initially empty, this is the default location
583 for private key files.
584 misc Various scripts.
586 Package builders who want to configure the library for standard
587 locations, but have the package installed somewhere else so that
588 it can easily be packaged, can use
590 $ make DESTDIR=/tmp/package-root install # Unix
591 $ mms/macro="DESTDIR=TMP:[PACKAGE-ROOT]" install ! OpenVMS
593 The specified destination directory will be prepended to all
594 installation target paths.
596 Compatibility issues with previous OpenSSL versions:
598 * COMPILING existing applications
600 OpenSSL 1.1 hides a number of structures that were previously
601 open. This includes all internal libssl structures and a number
602 of EVP types. Accessor functions have been added to allow
603 controlled access to the structures' data.
605 This means that some software needs to be rewritten to adapt to
606 the new ways of doing things. This often amounts to allocating
607 an instance of a structure explicitly where you could previously
608 allocate them on the stack as automatic variables, and using the
609 provided accessor functions where you would previously access a
610 structure's field directly.
614 Some APIs have changed as well. However, older APIs have been
615 preserved when possible.
618 Note on multi-threading
619 -----------------------
621 For some systems, the OpenSSL Configure script knows what compiler options
622 are needed to generate a library that is suitable for multi-threaded
623 applications. On these systems, support for multi-threading is enabled
624 by default; use the "no-threads" option to disable (this should never be
627 On other systems, to enable support for multi-threading, you will have
628 to specify at least two options: "threads", and a system-dependent option.
629 (The latter is "-D_REENTRANT" on various systems.) The default in this
630 case, obviously, is not to include support for multi-threading (but
631 you can still use "no-threads" to suppress an annoying warning message
632 from the Configure script.)
634 OpenSSL provides built-in support for two threading models: pthreads (found on
635 most UNIX/Linux systems), and Windows threads. No other threading models are
636 supported. If your platform does not provide pthreads or Windows threads then
637 you should Configure with the "no-threads" option.
639 Note on shared libraries
640 ------------------------
642 For most systems the OpenSSL Configure script knows what is needed to
643 build shared libraries for libcrypto and libssl. On these systems
644 the shared libraries will be created by default. This can be suppressed and
645 only static libraries created by using the "no-shared" option. On systems
646 where OpenSSL does not know how to build shared libraries the "no-shared"
647 option will be forced and only static libraries will be created.
649 Note on random number generation
650 --------------------------------
652 Availability of cryptographically secure random numbers is required for
653 secret key generation. OpenSSL provides several options to seed the
654 internal PRNG. If not properly seeded, the internal PRNG will refuse
655 to deliver random bytes and a "PRNG not seeded error" will occur.
656 On systems without /dev/urandom (or similar) device, it may be necessary
657 to install additional support software to obtain random seed.
658 Please check out the manual pages for RAND_add(), RAND_bytes(), RAND_egd(),
659 and the FAQ for more information.