If you’re a web or app developer, you likely work with a variety of languages, frameworks, and environments. Development tools can help take your projects to the next level. However, as these tools evolve, there’s a chance you’ll run into obstacles like the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error.
Fortunately, the origins of the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error are straightforward. Plus, it’s caused by a simple inconsistency in your security software, so it’s relatively easy to resolve.
In this post, we’ll discuss the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error and what causes it. Then, we’ll show you how to fix it in three different scenarios. Let’s dive right in!
Check Out Our Video Guide To Fixing the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED Error:
What Is the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED Error?
Let’s begin by taking a look at what the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error might look like in a development environment:
At first glance, words like “UNSUPPORTED” and “ERR” stand out because they have obvious meanings. However, to properly understand this error, we need to focus on the portion that says “OSSL.”
This OSSL tag represents the cryptographic software OpenSSL:
OpenSSL is an open-source software library that uses the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols to ensure secure communication within web development environments.
Similar to how website owners can install SSL certificates on websites, you can use OpenSSL to install SSL files on your web server. They give your development environment an added layer of protection. For this reason, OpenSSL is widely used.
However, since OpenSSL uses encryption, it relies on certain hashing algorithms. When these algorithms evolve with each new version of the software, inconsistencies with other development tools may arise. That leads us to our next section, where we’ll discuss the causes of the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error.
What Causes the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED Error?
Now that you know a bit about OpenSSL and what the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error looks like, let’s discuss its causes. As the name suggests, the issue hinges on ‘support’ for the OpenSSL software.
In other words, the error message indicates that something within your web development stack isn’t compatible with the OpenSSL files you’re running.
But why does this happen? As hashing algorithms evolve to provide enhanced security, their restrictions may tighten, and their key sizes can change. Therefore, as OpenSSL’s hashing algorithms are modified, inconsistencies among your development tools may occur.
While it undoubtedly comes with many improvements, the release of OpenSSL 3.0 has caused the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error message to appear more frequently:
While development tools should resolve any incompatibility issues in their upgrades, you might be working with outdated software. This could be a package, module, framework, bundle, environment, or something else that triggers the error message.
How To Fix the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED Error (3 Common Cases)
As we discussed, outdated programming software is likely triggering the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error. Therefore, we will show you how to upgrade three different development tools to resolve the problem.
However, if you don’t want to upgrade them for any reason, you can simply enable the OpenSSL 3.0 legacy provider as a workaround. All you have to do is use the following command:
--openssl-legacy-provider
Otherwise, here are three ways to fix the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error!
1. Upgrade Your Node.js Version
Node.js is a cross-platform runtime environment used to build server-side and network applications. Since it simplifies, speeds up, and improves upon the use of JavaScript, it’s highly popular.
However, due to the sheer number of users who have installed Node.js, the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error is commonly found in this environment. You might even run into the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED in Angular or Next.js since Node.js is a prerequisite for both.
As a solution, we recommend upgrading your version of Node.js. You’ll need to use the node package manager (npm) for this process. If you don’t already have it installed, you can do so by entering the following in your command line tool:
npm install -g n
Then, check your current version of Node.js by inputting this command:
node -v
Finally, if you discover your version is out of date, enter this command:
n latest
This will upgrade Node.js to the latest version. After that, check your version again to ensure the update was successful. Hopefully, this will resolve the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error.
2. Upgrade Your React.js Version
Along with Node.js, React.js is integral to plenty of web development tools, such as Gatsby. With that in mind, we’re also going to show you how to upgrade your version of React.js.
You’re able to do this using npm or the yarn package manager. With npm, simply enter the following command:
npm install react react-dom
Alternatively, for yarn, use this:
yarn add react react-dom
Then, make sure to check your version to ensure it’s now updated.
3. Upgrade Your Vue.js Version
Vue.js is another popular front-end JavaScript framework. Therefore, while you’re working in Vue, the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error might appear.
Once again, you can upgrade your framework’s version using npm or yarn. However, first, go ahead and check your Vue.js version in either package manager using the following command:
vue --version
Then, to upgrade Vue.js with npm, use the following:
update -g @vue/cli
Alternatively, with yarn, you’ll need to use this:
global upgrade --latest @vue/cli
Keep in mind that both of these commands will upgrade the global Vue CLI package.
Summary
If you use OpenSSL to secure your development projects, you might encounter the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error message. This can put a damper on your progress. Fortunately, you can resolve this pesky problem in a few different ways.
Depending on your development stack, you can resolve the error by upgrading your version of Node.js, React.js, or Vue.js. If that doesn’t work, or you don’t want to upgrade, you can also use --openssl-legacy-provider as a workaround.
Choosing a reliable hosting provider like Kinsta makes you less likely to encounter issues like the ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED error. Additionally, all of our hosting plans come with top-quality customer support to help you troubleshoot problems. Plus, we even offer hosting specifically for Node.js!
