SSL_SET_SSL_CTX(3)

📦 version 4.4.0, in alpine 3.24, arch rolling

💅 SSL_SET_SSL_CTX(3) 💅

okay bestie so this one's from the library functions manual (that's the libssl corner of the world, hi) and it's literally about swapping out the context on an SSL connection. like giving your connection a whole new vibe. let's get into it 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

SSL_set_SSL_CTX — modify an SSL connection object to use another context. yes queen, we're changing outfits mid-party 💃

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

the library you're gonna be pulling from is libssl and libcrypto, and you grab the header like this:

#include <openssl/ssl.h>

and here's the actual function, character for character, no cap:

SSL_CTX *
SSL_set_SSL_CTX(SSL *ssl, SSL_CTX* ctx);

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so SSL_set_SSL_CTX() causes ssl to use the context ctx. that's the whole plot, honestly. it's giving "new context, who dis" 💅

if ctx is NULL, then ssl reverts to using the context that it was initially created from with SSL_new(3). so it snaps right back to its original fit, no drama 🫶

and if ssl already uses ctx? literally nothing happens. no action occurs. it's already slaying, we're not gonna interrupt ✨

🔥 RETURN VALUES 🔥

SSL_set_SSL_CTX() returns an internal pointer to the context that ssl is using as a result of the call, or NULL if memory allocation fails. so like, if you get NULL back, that's a memory whoopsie, not a vibe 😭

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

the whole friend group, go say hi:

🌈 HISTORY 🌈

SSL_set_SSL_CTX() first appeared in OpenSSL 0.9.8f and has been available since OpenBSD 4.5. so it's been iconic since way back, an OG fr fr 👑

and that's the page bestie! 💖 this one dropped on Debian, dated June 8, 2025 — go off, June 8, 2025, you ate 🍓🧚

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