# OpenVPN/openvpn3

OpenVPN 3 is a C++ class library that implements the functionality of an OpenVPN client, and is protocol-compatible with the OpenVPN 2.x branch.

Repository: https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn3
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/openvpn3
Homepage: https://openvpn.github.io/openvpn3/
Language: C++
License: NOASSERTION
License Family: other
Topics: security, vpn, vpn-client
Last push: 2026-08-26T12:51:11+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 77/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3639, "days_push": 7, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases, no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1172, forks 466 (observed 2026-08-28T04:03:51.709621+00:00)

## What it is
OpenVPN 3 is a C++20 class library implementing an OpenVPN client that is protocol-compatible with OpenVPN 2.x, with a minimal command-line client wrapper included. It serves as the core of the official OpenVPN Connect clients across major platforms, though it does not implement server functionality.

## Use cases
- embed an OpenVPN client into my app
- build a custom VPN client for iOS or Android
- connect to an OpenVPN server from the command line
- implement VPN tunneling with a C++ library
- use the ovpn Linux kernel module for faster VPN data channel
- integrate OpenVPN with OS keychain for external private key operations

## When to choose
- you need to build a custom OpenVPN client application on any major platform
- you want protocol compatibility with OpenVPN 2.x servers
- you need fine-grained control over the VPN client API, tun interfaces, or PKI callbacks
- you want kernel-accelerated data channel performance via the ovpn DCO module on Linux 6.16+

## When to avoid
- you need an OpenVPN server implementation - this library is client-only
- you just want a ready-to-use VPN app without writing code - use OpenVPN Connect instead
- you need a simple configuration-only VPN setup without C++ development

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: active
- function: security, networking, cli
- domain: security, networking, privacy, developer-tools
- platform: windows, cpp, cross-platform
- tags: vpn-client, openvpn, c-plus-plus-library, tunneling, encryption, dco, kernel-module, linux, macos, android, ios

## Member repositories
- OpenVPN/openvpn3 (main) score 77

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:03:51.709621+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T06:28:25.504276+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn3 (fetched 2026-08-28T04:03:51.709621+00:00, sha 641dc0c9debb)
  - homepage: https://openvpn.github.io/openvpn3/ (fetched 2026-08-29T12:33:41.632779+00:00, sha f2f10e665fcf)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.