ERR_LOAD_CRYPTO_STRINGS(3ossl)

Bestie, welcome to ERR_LOAD_CRYPTO_STRINGS(3ossl) — yes, that's the whole manual name, and yes, we're gonna get through it together 💅✨

🌸 NAME 🌸

ERR_load_crypto_strings, SSL_load_error_strings, ERR_free_strings — load and free error strings, periodt.

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

Okay so plot twist: the following functions have been deprecated since OpenSSL 1.1.0, and can be hidden entirely by defining OPENSSL_API_COMPAT with a suitable version value, see openssl_user_macros(7):

#include <openssl/err.h>

void ERR_load_crypto_strings(void);
void ERR_free_strings(void);

#include <openssl/ssl.h>

void SSL_load_error_strings(void);

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

ERR_load_crypto_strings() registers the error strings for all libcrypto functions. Slay. ✅

SSL_load_error_strings() does the same, but also registers the libssl error strings — extra credit behavior, honestly 💖

In versions prior to OpenSSL 1.1.0, ERR_free_strings() releases any resources created by the above functions. That's the old-school cleanup arc 🌈

🎀 RETURN VALUES 🎀

ERR_load_crypto_strings(), SSL_load_error_strings() and ERR_free_strings() return no values. That's it. No return value. The void is voiding 💀

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

ERR_error_string(3) — go read that one too, bestie 🫶

💜 HISTORY 💜

The ERR_load_crypto_strings(), SSL_load_error_strings(), and ERR_free_strings() functions were deprecated in OpenSSL 1.1.0 by OPENSSL_init_crypto() and OPENSSL_init_ssl() and should not be used. Like… don't use them. That's the whole warning, fr fr 🚨

🌈 COPYRIGHT 🌈

Copyright 2000-2017 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.

Licensed under the Apache License 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You can obtain a copy in the file LICENSE in the source distribution or at <https://www.openssl.org/source/license.html>.

Signed, sealed, delivered: this page is from OpenSSL 3.5.6, dated 2026-04-07, and it's literally ERR_LOAD_CRYPTO_STRINGS(3ossl) 💖🫶✨