SSL_COMP_ADD...ESSION_METHOD(3SSL)

💖 SSL_COMP_ADD...ESSION_METHOD(3SSL) 💖

okay bestie, welcome to the 3SSL manual page for SSL_COMP_add_compression_method, SSL_COMP_get_compression_methods, SSL_COMP_get0_name, SSL_COMP_get_id, and SSL_COMP_free_compression_methods — the whole little friend group that handles SSL/TLS integrated compression methods. yes we're doing compression lore today, buckle up 🎀

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✨ NAME ✨

SSL_COMP_add_compression_method, SSL_COMP_get_compression_methods, SSL_COMP_get0_name, SSL_COMP_get_id, SSL_COMP_free_compression_methods — handle SSL/TLS integrated compression methods. that's the whole vibe. 🌸

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

#include <openssl/ssl.h>

int SSL_COMP_add_compression_method(int id, COMP_METHOD *cm);
STACK_OF(SSL_COMP) *SSL_COMP_get_compression_methods(void);
const char *SSL_COMP_get0_name(const SSL_COMP *comp);
int SSL_COMP_get_id(const SSL_COMP *comp);

and then, listen, the following function has 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):

void SSL_COMP_free_compression_methods(void);

she's retired but still in the group chat, iykyk 💅

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👑 DESCRIPTION 👑

SSL_COMP_add_compression_method() adds the compression method cm with the identifier id to the list of available compression methods. and bestie, this list is globally maintained for all SSL operations within this application. it can not be set for specific SSL_CTX or SSL objects. it's one list to rule them all, no customization, periodt.

SSL_COMP_get_compression_methods() returns a stack of all of the available compression methods, or NULL on error. 🫶

SSL_COMP_get0_name() returns the name of the compression method comp.

SSL_COMP_get_id() returns the id of the compression method comp.

SSL_COMP_free_compression_methods() releases any resources acquired to maintain the internal table of compression methods. she's the one who cleans up after the party. 🧹✨

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🌈 NOTES 🌈

so the TLS standard (or SSLv3) allows the integration of compression methods into the communication. however — and this is the part where we 👀 — the TLS RFC does not specify compression methods or their corresponding identifiers, so there is currently no compatible way to integrate compression with unknown peers. it is therefore currently not recommended to integrate compression into applications. 📢

applications for non-public use may agree on certain compression methods. but using different compression methods with the same identifier will lead to connection failure. yes, that's a whole heartbreak waiting to happen 💀

an OpenSSL client speaking a protocol that allows compression (SSLv3, TLSv1) will unconditionally send the list of all compression methods enabled with SSL_COMP_add_compression_method() to the server during the handshake. and unlike the mechanisms to set a cipher list, there is no method available to restrict the list of compression method on a per connection basis. no dials, no sliders, no nothing 🙈

an OpenSSL server will match the identifiers listed by a client against its own compression methods and will unconditionally activate compression when a matching identifier is found. there is no way to restrict the list of compression methods supported on a per connection basis. it's giving all-or-nothing, fr fr.

if enabled during compilation, the OpenSSL library will have the following compression methods available:

• COMP_zlib()
• COMP_brotli()
• COMP_brotli_oneshot()
• COMP_zstd()
• COMP_zstd_oneshot()

those are the girlies. ⭐

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💜 RETURN VALUES 💜

SSL_COMP_add_compression_method() may return the following values:

• 0 — the operation succeeded. slay! 🎉
• 1 — the operation failed. check the error queue to find out the reason. 😭

SSL_COMP_get_compression_methods() returns the stack of compressions methods or NULL on error.

SSL_COMP_get0_name() returns the name of the compression method or NULL on error.

SSL_COMP_get_id() returns the name of the compression method or -1 on error.

ok quick note bestie — yes, the manpage literally says SSL_COMP_get_id() returns the name up there. i am not the one who wrote it, i'm just the one relaying it with love. 💖

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

• ssl(7)

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🎀 HISTORY 🎀

the SSL_COMP_free_compression_methods() function was deprecated in OpenSSL 1.1.0. the SSL_COMP_get0_name() and SSL_comp_get_id() functions were added in OpenSSL 1.1.0d. glow-up timeline, honestly ✨

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🌸 COPYRIGHT 🌸

Copyright 2001-2020 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, bestie!! literally all of it, no skips, no cuts, every single flag and value accounted for 🫶 this iconic little doc is from OpenSSL 4.0.3, dated 2026-09-29 — she ate and left absolutely no crumbs. go forth and compress responsibly (or don't, the notes literally said it's not recommended, main character energy is knowing when to sit this one out 💅👑). bye bye!! 🌈⭐💖