OpenSSL vs LibreSSL

Developers should learn and use OpenSSL when implementing secure communication in applications, such as web servers, email clients, or IoT devices, to handle certificate generation, management, and encryption tasks meets developers should use libressl when building applications that require secure communication, especially in environments prioritizing security audits and clean code, like openbsd-based systems or projects with strict security requirements. Here's our take.

OpenSSL

Nice Pick

Developers should learn and use OpenSSL when implementing secure communication in applications, such as web servers, email clients, or IoT devices, to handle certificate generation, management, and encryption tasks

Pros

• It is essential for scenarios involving HTTPS setup, VPN configurations, or any system requiring cryptographic integrity and authentication, as it offers a reliable, industry-standard solution with extensive community support and cross-platform compatibility
• Related to: tls, ssl-certificates

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

LibreSSL

Developers should use LibreSSL when building applications that require secure communication, especially in environments prioritizing security audits and clean code, like OpenBSD-based systems or projects with strict security requirements

Pros

• It is ideal for scenarios where reducing attack surface and removing deprecated features are critical, such as embedded systems, network servers, or security-sensitive software where OpenSSL's complexity is a concern
• Related to: openssl, tls

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. OpenSSL is a tool while LibreSSL is a library. We picked OpenSSL based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

OpenSSL wins

Based on overall popularity. OpenSSL is more widely used, but LibreSSL excels in its own space.