# Install wolfssl with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, pacman, apt

Embedded SSL Library written in C. Version 5.9.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-26. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libwolfssl-dev.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:wolfssl
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install wolfssl
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install wolfssl
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/wolfssl/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- apk (92%):

```sh
sudo apk add wolfssl
```

  Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wolfssl from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

- pacman (92%):

```sh
sudo pacman -S wolfssl
```

  Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: wolfssl from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install libwolfssl-dev
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: libwolfssl-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:wolfssl
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 5.9.2
- **Source summary:** Embedded SSL Library written in C
- **Homepage:** <https://www.wolfssl.com>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/wolfSSL/wolfssl>
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-26T00:47:31Z
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- wolfssl-config (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 5.9.2
## Project history and usage

wolfSSL is a lightweight SSL/TLS library written in C and targeted at embedded, RTOS, IoT, and resource-constrained environments, while also being used in desktop, enterprise, and cloud software. It is the central library in the wolfSSL product family and includes wolfCrypt, protocol support through TLS 1.3 and DTLS 1.3, and OpenSSL-compatible APIs for porting.

### Project history

wolfSSL traces its company and product lineage to 2004, when Larry Stefonic and Todd Ouska identified a market need for an open-source, dual-licensed embedded SSL library that was smaller, more portable, commercially licensable, and easier to support than the alternatives. The company describes wolfSSL as born from that need with an OpenSSL compatibility layer.

The library was formerly known as CyaSSL. In March 2015 the company announced that CyaSSL would change its name to wolfSSL, while retaining the same structure and licensing and keeping a CyaSSL compatibility layer for users who needed the older API. The deprecated cyassl/cyassl repository now points users to wolfSSL/wolfssl and notes the compatibility layer for CyaSSL/CTaoCrypt.

The GitHub wolfSSL/wolfssl repository was created in January 2015, near the naming transition, and release metadata shows a continuing stable-release line through wolfSSL 5.x, including 5.9.x releases in 2026.

### Adoption history

wolfSSL's adoption history is tied to embedded systems and to dual licensing. The company's About page says the first major user of its SSL library was MySQL and that bundling with projects such as MySQL, OpenWRT, Mongoose, cURL, and Ubuntu produced high distribution volumes and user adoption. A 2015 wolfSSL post separately described work to move MySQL from yaSSL toward the newer wolfSSL library, formerly CyaSSL.

The product page emphasizes standards coverage and certification-oriented use: wolfSSL supports TLS 1.3 and DTLS 1.3, uses wolfCrypt underneath, and notes FIPS 140-3 validation for versions of wolfCrypt while continuing historical FIPS 140-2 support. That combination explains why the package appears in both security and embedded package sets rather than only in general-purpose TLS stacks.

### How it is used

Developers use wolfSSL as an embedded TLS client and server library, as a wolfCrypt-backed cryptography provider, or as a smaller OpenSSL-compatible substitute when porting C applications. Typical package consumers are firmware, gateways, routers, printers, IoT devices, RTOS applications, and applications that need TLS with a tunable footprint or commercial support path.

### Why package nerds care

wolfSSL is package-nerd significant because it is one of the major OpenSSL alternatives that package managers can offer without abandoning C, TLS standards, FIPS-oriented workflows, or embedded portability. It anchors a family of related packages, including wolfMQTT, wolfSSH, wolfBoot, wolfTPM, and wolfCrypt-focused integrations.

### Timeline

- 2004: wolfSSL company/product lineage begins around the need for a dual-licensed embedded SSL library.
- 2015: CyaSSL name-change announcement states the library is becoming wolfSSL and keeps a compatibility layer.
- 2015: wolfSSL/wolfssl GitHub repository created.
- 2015: wolfSSL describes work to move MySQL from yaSSL toward wolfSSL.
- 2020s: wolfSSL product page documents TLS 1.3, DTLS 1.3, wolfCrypt, and FIPS 140-3 validated module status.
- 2026: wolfSSL 5.9.x stable releases published.

### Related projects

- CyaSSL is the former name and API lineage for wolfSSL.
- yaSSL is part of the older company/product history and was used by MySQL before the wolfSSL transition work.
- wolfCrypt, wolfMQTT, wolfSSH, wolfBoot, wolfTPM, and wolfCLU are related wolfSSL-family packages built around the same embedded-security ecosystem.
- OpenSSL is both a compatibility target and the common comparison point for users evaluating wolfSSL.

### Sources

- <https://api.github.com/repos/wolfSSL/wolfssl>
- <https://api.github.com/repos/wolfSSL/wolfssl/releases?per_page=100>
- <https://github.com/cyassl/cyassl>
- <https://github.com/wolfSSL/wolfssl>
- <https://www.wolfssl.com/about/>
- <https://www.wolfssl.com/cyassl-name-is-changing-to-wolfssl-2/>
- <https://www.wolfssl.com/products/wolfssl/>
- <https://www.wolfssl.com/wolfssl-in-mysql/>


## Security Notes

library-like package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- library-like package without higher-risk signals

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - libwolfssl-dev - 5.7.2-0.1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libwolfssl-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Development files for the wolfSSL encryption library | https://www.wolfssl.com/products/wolfssl/
- Debian apt - libwolfssl42t64 - 5.7.2-0.1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libwolfssl42t64 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | wolfSSL encryption library | https://www.wolfssl.com/products/wolfssl/
- Ubuntu apt - libwolfssl-dev - 5.6.6-1.3build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libwolfssl-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Development files for the wolfSSL encryption library | https://www.wolfssl.com/products/wolfssl/
- Ubuntu apt - libwolfssl42t64 - 5.6.6-1.3build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libwolfssl42t64 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | wolfSSL encryption library | https://www.wolfssl.com/products/wolfssl/
- apk - wolfssl - 5.9.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wolfssl from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Embedded TLS Library (built without OpenSSL compatibility layer) | https://www.wolfssl.com/
- apk - wolfssl-dev - 5.9.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wolfssl-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Embedded TLS Library (built without OpenSSL compatibility layer) (development files) | https://www.wolfssl.com/
- apk - wolfssl-fast - 5.9.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wolfssl-fast from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Embedded TLS Library (built without OpenSSL compatibility layer) - optimized for performance | https://www.wolfssl.com/
- apk - wolfssl-jni - 5.9.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wolfssl-jni from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Embedded TLS Library (built without OpenSSL compatibility layer) - with jni support | https://www.wolfssl.com/
- apk - wolfssl-jni-dev - 5.9.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wolfssl-jni-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Embedded TLS Library (built without OpenSSL compatibility layer) | https://www.wolfssl.com/
- pacman - wolfssl - 5.9.2-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: wolfssl from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Lightweight, portable, C-language-based SSL/TLS library | https://www.wolfssl.com/
- MacPorts - wolfssl: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/wolfssl/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/wolfssl.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/wolfssl.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
