Encountering the “Checking for OpenSSL QUIC Support … Not Found” error can cause confusion and frustration, especially when working with software projects that require current security protocols and high-performance networking features. This error typically appears when building or configuring software that expects OpenSSL to include support for QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections), such as web servers, proxies, or specific developer libraries.
In this article, we will discuss why this error occurs, what QUIC and OpenSSL support entail, and step-by-step instructions to resolve the issue. These steps are particularly relevant for developers compiling NGINX with HTTP/3 or similar use cases that depend on QUIC support from OpenSSL.
Understanding the Error
QUIC is a transport layer network protocol designed by Google and now standardized by IETF. HTTP/3 is built on top of QUIC, making it essential for modern web communications. OpenSSL, traditionally used for SSL/TLS support, had not supported QUIC natively until recent forks like quictls emerged.
The error message usually indicates that the version of OpenSSL found on your system does not include support for QUIC. This typically happens when:
- You are using the default OpenSSL package included with your Linux distribution
- An incompatible version of OpenSSL is specified in your build configuration
- The necessary QUIC modules were not compiled into OpenSSL source
Solution: Replace or Recompile OpenSSL with QUIC Support
The preferred solution is to use a QUIC-enabled fork of OpenSSL, such as quictls, or to update OpenSSL manually to a version supporting QUIC.
Step 1: Remove Existing OpenSSL Dependencies (If Needed)
If your application strictly relies on a certain OpenSSL version, it may help to first clean up the environment to avoid conflicts:
sudo apt remove openssl libssl-devBe cautious with this step as it may affect other packages depending on OpenSSL. Consider using a separate virtual environment or container.
Step 2: Clone and Build quictls
quictls is a fork of OpenSSL actively maintained to include QUIC support.
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/quictls/openssl.git
cd openssl
./config --prefix=/opt/quictls no-shared
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make installBy installing this version of OpenSSL into /opt/quictls, we avoid affecting the system’s global OpenSSL stack.
Step 3: Point Your Project to the Correct OpenSSL Path
Now configure the software you’re building (e.g., NGINX with HTTP/3 support) to use the new OpenSSL path. For example:
./configure --with-openssl=/opt/quictls ...Make sure to also update your LD_LIBRARY_PATH if your runtime depends on shared libraries:
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/quictls/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATHAlternative Solution: Use a Docker Container
If replacing OpenSSL system-wide is not feasible, another approach is to use a container that already includes OpenSSL with QUIC support pre-configured. Several projects provide Dockerfiles or images that come ready for compiling HTTP/3-enabled apps.
This is especially useful in CI/CD environments or for testing without affecting your personal workstation or build server dependencies.
Additional Tips
- Ensure your compiler supports C11 or newer, as many QUIC implementations depend on modern C code features.
- Read the documentation of the software you’re building; it often specifies compatible OpenSSL commits or forks.
- Always clear and rebuild fully if switching OpenSSL sources to prevent lingering conflicts.
Conclusion
The “Checking for OpenSSL QUIC Support … Not Found” error highlights a critical compatibility issue between your software and the cryptography libraries it depends on. QUIC is a cutting-edge protocol that is still in early stages of adoption in libraries like OpenSSL. To fix this error, it’s essential to use an OpenSSL variant with QUIC support, like quictls, or opt for containers that abstract away these complexities. Taking a clean and modular approach to managing your build environment will save time and ensure future compatibility.
