# wolfSSL/wolfssl

The wolfSSL library is a small, fast, portable implementation of TLS/SSL for embedded devices to the cloud.  wolfSSL supports up to TLS 1.3 and DTLS 1.3! Update to wolfSSL 5.9.1 for the latest CVE fixes.

Repository: https://github.com/wolfSSL/wolfssl
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/wolfssl
Homepage: https://www.wolfssl.com
Language: C
License: GPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: ssl, tls, cryptography, security, openssl, tls13, dtls, https, fips, cryptography-api, embedded-systems, encryption, iot, trusted-execution-environment, openssl-alternative, c-library, wolfssl, cipher-suites, openssl-api, sniffer
Last push: 2026-08-26T20:57:02+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 92/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 78, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4256, "days_push": 7, "days_rel": 69, "gap_med": 84, "n_releases_24m": 8}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2919, forks 1024 (observed 2026-08-28T04:07:30.130276+00:00)

## What it is
wolfSSL is a lightweight, portable SSL/TLS library written in ANSI C, supporting TLS 1.3 and DTLS 1.3, powered by the wolfCrypt cryptography engine. It is designed for embedded, RTOS, and resource-constrained environments while also serving desktop, enterprise, and cloud use cases, with an OpenSSL compatibility layer and FIPS 140-3 validated crypto.

## Use cases
- add TLS 1.3 encryption to an embedded IoT device
- replace OpenSSL with a smaller, faster SSL library
- secure communication on an RTOS or resource-constrained microcontroller
- get FIPS 140-3 validated cryptography for a government or regulated project
- port an existing OpenSSL-based application to a lightweight TLS stack
- add DTLS support to a UDP-based protocol
- implement post-quantum TLS key exchange
- secure firmware updates and device-to-cloud communication

## When to choose
- you need TLS/DTLS on embedded or RTOS platforms with a 20-100 kB footprint
- you require FIPS 140-2/140-3 validated or DO-178C certified cryptography
- you want an OpenSSL-compatible API with a smaller, faster implementation
- you need modern ciphers like ChaCha20, Curve25519, or post-quantum groups
- you need broad platform portability from microcontrollers to cloud servers

## When to avoid
- your project requires a permissive license and cannot use GPLv3 or buy a commercial license
- you depend on the full OpenSSL feature set and ecosystem rather than a compatibility layer
- you need a pure high-level managed-language TLS solution rather than a C library
- your team has no C expertise and a higher-level language TLS binding would suffice

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: stable
- function: cryptography, security, networking
- domain: security, embedded-systems, iot, networking
- platform: c, cpp, embedded, windows, cross-platform, iot, self-hosted
- tags: tls, ssl, dtls, tls13, openssl-alternative, fips-140-3, post-quantum, wolfcrypt, embedded-security, lightweight, linux, macos

## Member repositories
- wolfSSL/wolfssl (main) score 92

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:30.130276+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 2026-08-30T07:34:01.177747+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/wolfSSL/wolfssl (fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:30.130276+00:00, sha 911d55f4f7ae)
  - homepage: https://www.wolfssl.com (fetched 2026-08-29T09:49:17.113233+00:00, sha 23cea850985b)
  - site_page: https://www.wolfssl.com/about (fetched 2026-08-29T09:49:17.122740+00:00, sha 36e36999e649)
  - site_page: https://www.wolfssl.com/about/wolfssl-software-development-process-quality-assurance (fetched 2026-08-29T09:49:17.125338+00:00, sha 3f6c99ec28ff)
  - site_page: https://www.wolfssl.com/docs/consulting (fetched 2026-08-29T09:49:17.128166+00:00, sha 83d511b2e1bb)
  - site_page: https://www.wolfssl.com/docs (fetched 2026-08-29T09:49:17.130226+00:00, sha 27dc5d6b3c59)
  - site_page: https://www.wolfssl.com/documentation/manuals/wolfssl-faq (fetched 2026-08-29T09:49:17.132379+00:00, sha 3d0eec9e7ca7)
  - site_page: https://www.wolfssl.com/documentation/manuals/wolfssl/index.html (fetched 2026-08-29T09:49:17.134138+00:00, sha 056e94d286dd)
  - site_page: https://www.wolfssl.com/docs/benchmarks (fetched 2026-08-29T09:49:17.135900+00:00, sha 1b5aa3b03efc)
  - site_page: https://www.wolfssl.com/docs/case-studies (fetched 2026-08-29T09:49:17.139355+00:00, sha ab320e1e85ef)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.