openssl-cmake

Build and integrate OpenSSL from CMake with fast parallel builds.

Features

• Detects common target platforms automatically (Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, and more)
• Supports OpenSSL 1.1.1 and the latest OpenSSL releases
• Works with existing find_package(OpenSSL) integration and OpenSSL::... targets
• Builds in parallel when supported
• Speeds up rebuilds with ccache
• Reuses downloaded source archives and skips unnecessary reconfiguration

Usage

Use Build to try this repository directly, or Integration to add it to another CMake project.

Build

The fastest way to try this repository is to build it with one of the included presets. Replace <preset> with a preset available on your current host platform. OpenSSL self tests are optional. Configure with -DOPENSSL_TEST=ON and then run ctest --preset <preset>.

cmake --list-presets all                    # List available presets
cmake --preset <preset>                     # Configure
cmake --build --preset <preset>             # Build
cmake --build --preset <preset> -t install  # Install

Integration

FetchContent_Declare(
    openssl-cmake
    URL https://github.com/jimmy-park/openssl-cmake/archive/main.tar.gz
)
FetchContent_MakeAvailable(openssl-cmake)

add_executable(main main.cpp)
target_link_libraries(main PRIVATE
    OpenSSL::SSL
    OpenSSL::Crypto
    OpenSSL::applink
)

Important

Call FetchContent_MakeAvailable(openssl-cmake) before any dependency calls find_package(OpenSSL). If another library links OpenSSL through OPENSSL_LIBRARIES instead of OpenSSL::SSL, add_dependencies() may help enforce the correct build order.

Using CPM.cmake

CPMAddPackage(
    NAME openssl-cmake
    URL https://github.com/jimmy-park/openssl-cmake/archive/main.tar.gz
    OPTIONS
    "OPENSSL_CONFIGURE_OPTIONS option1\\\\;option2"
)

CPM.cmake requires double-escaping for semicolon-separated lists in OPTIONS.

Prerequisites

Requirements

• CMake 3.25+
• OpenSSL build prerequisites
  • Make implementation
  • Perl 5
  • ANSI C compiler
  • NASM (Windows only)
• ccache (optional)

Linux

Install CMake from the official website or Snapcraft, then install the required build tools.

# Debian
sudo snap install cmake --classic
sudo apt-get install -y build-essential perl ninja-build ccache

macOS

Install the required packages with Homebrew.

brew install cmake perl ninja ccache
xcode-select --install

Windows

Install the required packages with Chocolatey.

# PowerShell (run as administrator)
choco install -y cmake jom strawberryperl nasm ccache --installargs 'ADD_CMAKE_TO_PATH=System'

# Add "C:\Program Files\NASM" to the PATH environment variable,
# or run the following command.
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", "$ENV:PATH;C:\Program Files\NASM", "USER")

CMake Options

Option	Type	Default	Description
OPENSSL_BUILD_OPTIONS	list	(undefined)	Pass extra make-compatible build options
OPENSSL_BUILD_TARGET	string	build_libs	Select the Makefile target to build
OPENSSL_BUILD_VERBOSE	bool	OFF	Show verbose output during the build
OPENSSL_CONFIGURE_OPTIONS	list	(undefined)	Pass extra options to OpenSSL Configure
OPENSSL_CONFIGURE_VERBOSE	bool	OFF	Show verbose output during configuration
OPENSSL_ENABLE_PARALLEL	bool	ON	Build and test in parallel when supported
OPENSSL_INSTALL	bool	OFF	Install OpenSSL components
OPENSSL_INSTALL_CERT	bool	OFF	Install cert.pem into the openssldir directory
OPENSSL_INSTALL_TARGET	string	install_dev	Select the Makefile target to install
OPENSSL_PATCH	list	(undefined)	Apply patch files to the OpenSSL source tree
OPENSSL_SOURCE	path	(undefined)	Specify the location of OpenSSL source (URL or path)
OPENSSL_TARGET_PLATFORM	string	(undefined)	Set the OpenSSL Configure target explicitly
OPENSSL_TARGET_VERSION	string	openssl-cmake version	Set the exact OpenSSL release to fetch
OPENSSL_TEST	bool	OFF	Build and run the OpenSSL self tests
OPENSSL_USE_CCACHE	bool	ON	Enable ccache when it is available

• OPENSSL_CONFIGURE_OPTIONS: no-shared is added when BUILD_SHARED_LIBS is OFF.
• OPENSSL_CONFIGURE_OPTIONS: no-tests is added when OPENSSL_TEST is OFF.
• OPENSSL_PATCH: Patch files must use LF line endings because the OpenSSL source tree uses LF.
• OPENSSL_SOURCE: This can point to either a local source tree or a downloadable archive.
• OPENSSL_TARGET_PLATFORM: This is detected automatically unless you set it explicitly.
• OPENSSL_TARGET_VERSION: If not set, openssl-cmake uses its own project version by default.
• OPENSSL_USE_CCACHE: If you change this option, run a fresh configure or remove CMakeCache.txt.
• OPENSSL_USE_CCACHE: On MSVC, this option also removes /Zi and /Fd.