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>LibreSSL was made to be API/ABI compatible with openSSL and target a POSIX OS LibreSSL is neither API compatible with newer OpenSSL versions, nor is it ABI co
by CameronNemo 6y ago
>LibreSSL was made to be API/ABI compatible with openSSL and target a POSIX OS
LibreSSL is neither API compatible with newer OpenSSL versions, nor is it ABI compatible. In fact, they break ABI every six months. Furthermore LibreSSL upstream only targets OpenBSD, with the portable version existing as an afterthought.
The only linux distribution using LibreSSL is Void Linux (Alpine switched to OpenSSL some time ago). Even Void is considering switching to OpenSSL: https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/20935 https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/20935 .
- icefo 6y agoThank you ! That was interesting read. The main problems with LibreSSL are software compatibility since most software only build against OpenSSL and performance because the portable version doesn't include optimisations for other platforms than x86_64 The slides came out in 2014 so the API / ABI thing was probably true then but not anymore. Maybe things would have been different if LibreSSL was backed by a major Linux distribution and OpenBSD. Even then Unix/Linux is not the only target of a lot of software and I doubt a lot of developer would have put the time to support both. [Edit] I just saw in an other comment that LibreSSL is used in MacOSX and windows for openSSH. Maybe developers will consider it if it becomes available on major platforms
- chasil 6y agoApple uses LibreSSL as I understand.
- mrpippy 6y agoYes, but it’s only for use by system libraries. The header files aren’t shipped, and applications should use their own copy rather than trying to use the system’s.
- CameronNemo 6y agoFYI Void recently enabled hardware acceleration for ARM and PowerPC architectures in LibreSSL.