Official docs outline
15 sections- Introduction to the OpenSSL Guide
Overview of libcrypto, libssl, and the guide series.
- libcrypto Introduction
Library contexts, providers, error handling.
- Providers
Provider architecture, default, legacy, FIPS.
- EVP High-Level Crypto API
EVP interface for ciphers, digests, signatures and KDFs.
- TLS Introduction
TLS concepts and libssl fundamentals.
- Writing a TLS Client
SSL_CTX, SSL objects and blocking client.
- Writing a TLS Server
Server-side TLS handling.
- QUIC
QUIC support in OpenSSL.
- X.509 Certificates
Certificate structures and verification.
- The openssl Command Line
Command-line tool overview and subcommands.
- Certificates and CSRs on the CLI
Generating requests and self-signed certificates.
- Testing TLS with s_client
Diagnosing TLS connections.
- Configuration Files
openssl.cnf format and settings.
- FIPS Module
Using the FIPS provider.
- Migration Guide
Moving between OpenSSL versions and deprecated APIs.
Each section links to the official page. Titles and summaries by Extra Credit; the docs belong to their authors.
Versions and support
6 release lines 4.1.0 latest release, Oct 23, 2026
| Line | Released | Latest | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Oct 23, 2026 | 4.1.0 | Until Nov 23, 2027 |
| 4.0 | Apr 14, 2026 | 4.0.3 | Until May 14, 2027 |
| 3.6 | Oct 1, 2025 | 3.6.5 | Ended Nov 1, 2026 |
| 3.5 | Apr 8, 2025 | 3.5.9 | Until Apr 8, 2030 LTS |
| 3.4 | Oct 22, 2024 | 3.4.8 | Ended Oct 22, 2026 |
| 3.3 | Apr 9, 2024 | 3.3.7 | Ended Apr 9, 2026 |
Source: endoflife.date