ERR_LOAD_CRYPTO_STRINGS(3ossl)

💖 ERR_LOAD_CRYPTO_STRINGS(3ossl) 💖

okay bestie so this is the OpenSSL manual page for ERR_LOAD_CRYPTO_STRINGS, SSL_load_error_strings, and ERR_free_strings — the load-and-free-error-strings girlies. and ngl, they're giving retired. let's get into it 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

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

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

so listen. the way that these functions have been deprecated since OpenSSL 1.1.0 is honestly iconic but also, like, a warning. you can hide them entirely by defining OPENSSL_API_COMPAT with a suitable version value — see openssl_user_macros(7) for the tea.

#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);

not a single argument in sight. they just exist. main character energy 💅

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

• ERR_load_crypto_strings() registers the error strings for all libcrypto functions. all of them. every last one. slay.
• SSL_load_error_strings() does the exact same thing, but also registers the libssl error strings. she's doing the most, and we love her for it.
• ERR_free_strings() — and here's the plot twist — in versions prior to OpenSSL 1.1.0, she releases any resources created by the above functions. that's her whole job. that's it. (iykyk)

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⭐ RETURN VALUES ⭐

ERR_load_crypto_strings(), SSL_load_error_strings() and ERR_free_strings() return no values. nothing. void. they are simply too cool to give you feedback 🙈

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🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

• ERR_error_string(3)

go read that one next bestie, it's the sequel ✨

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💀 HISTORY 💀

okay so here's the drama. 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 the manpage is not subtle about it:

and should not be used.

so like… don't. no cap. those two init functions ate and left no crumbs, and these three are just vibing in the past 🍓

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👑 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>.

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🌈 and that's the whole page, babe! this one's from OpenSSL 3.5.9, dated 2026-09-29, and it's the ERR_LOAD_CRYPTO_STRINGS(3ossl) manual through and through. now go use the init functions like the icon you are 💜✨