How do I build a TLS server with native-tls in Rust?

Use TlsAcceptor with an Identity from a PKCS#12 file, bind a TcpListener, and wrap incoming streams with acceptor.accept(), as shown in the README example for server-side communication.

What's the difference between native-tls and rustls?

native-tls uses platform-native libraries (SChannel, Secure Transport, OpenSSL) for system integration, while rustls is a pure-Rust implementation offering more control and avoiding external dependencies but may lack native compatibility benefits.

Does native-tls support TLS 1.3?

It depends on the underlying native library; typically, SChannel, Secure Transport, and OpenSSL support TLS 1.3, but you should verify platform-specific versions as the crate abstracts this.

How to handle client certificates with native-tls?

The crate supports server identities via PKCS#12 and X.509, but client certificate authentication may require additional platform-native configuration, which can be complex and less documented.

Can I use native-tls with async-std or tokio?

Yes, native-tls is compatible with async I/O; you can integrate TlsStream with async runtimes by using non-blocking sockets, though the README examples are synchronous for simplicity.

Is native-tls suitable for embedded systems?

No, due to its dependency on system TLS libraries which may not be available on embedded platforms; for such cases, a pure-Rust alternative like rustls is preferred.

rust-native-tls — Platform-Native TLS Bindings

What is rust-native-tls?

native-tls is a Rust crate that provides bindings to platform-native TLS libraries for implementing secure network communication. It abstracts away the differences between Windows (SChannel), macOS (Secure Transport), and other platforms (OpenSSL), allowing developers to write cross-platform TLS client and server applications with a consistent API. The crate solves the problem of managing low-level TLS implementation details while ensuring compatibility with each operating system's security infrastructure.

Target Audience

Rust developers building secure networked applications that require TLS encryption, particularly those targeting multiple operating systems and wanting to leverage native platform security features.

Value Proposition

Developers choose native-tls because it automatically selects the appropriate native TLS implementation for each platform, reducing binary sizes and compilation times while improving compatibility with system proxies and certificate stores. It provides a secure-by-default configuration with hostname verification and supports both synchronous and asynchronous I/O patterns.

Overview

The native-tls crate offers a unified abstraction over platform-specific TLS implementations, enabling Rust developers to write secure network applications without managing low-level cryptographic details. It automatically selects the appropriate native TLS library for each operating system, ensuring optimal compatibility and performance.

Key Features

Platform-Native TLS — Uses SChannel on Windows, Secure Transport on macOS, and OpenSSL on other platforms.
Client and Server Support — Provides both TLS client connectors and server acceptors for secure communication.
Identity Management — Supports PKCS#12 and X.509/PKCS#8 encoded identities for server authentication.
Secure Defaults — Includes hostname verification for clients and secure-by-default configurations.
Asynchronous I/O — Compatible with asynchronous I/O for both client and server operations.

Philosophy

The crate prioritizes leveraging each platform's native TLS infrastructure to reduce binary sizes, improve compilation times, and enhance compatibility with system-wide security configurations.

rust-native-tls

What is rust-native-tls?

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