SSL_set_default_stream_mode(3) | OpenSSL | SSL_set_default_stream_mode(3)

# NAME

SSL_set_default_stream_mode, SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_NONE, SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_AUTO_BIDI, SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_AUTO_UNI - manage the default stream for a QUIC connection

# SYNOPSIS

     #include <openssl/ssl.h>
     #define SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_NONE
     #define SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_AUTO_BIDI
     #define SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_AUTO_UNI
     int SSL_set_default_stream_mode(SSL *conn, uint32_t mode);

# DESCRIPTION

A QUIC connection SSL object may have a default stream attached to it. A default stream is a QUIC stream to which calls to SSL_read(3) and SSL_write(3) made on a QUIC connection SSL object are redirected. Default stream handling allows legacy applications to use QUIC similarly to a traditional TLS connection.

When not disabled, a default stream is automatically created on an outgoing connection once SSL_read(3) or SSL_write(3) is called.

A QUIC stream must be explicitly designated as client-initiated or server-initiated up front. This broadly corresponds to whether an application protocol involves the client transmitting first, or the server transmitting first. As such, if SSL_read(3) is called first (before any call to SSL_write(3)) after establishing a connection, OpenSSL will wait for the server to open the first server-initiated stream, and then bind this as the default stream. Conversely, if SSL_write(3) is called before any call to SSL_read(3), OpenSSL assumes the client wishes to transmit first, creates a client-initiated stream, and binds this as the default stream.

By default, the default stream created is bidirectional. If a unidirectional stream is desired, or if the application wishes to disable default stream functionality, SSL_set_default_stream_mode() (discussed below) can be used to accomplish this.

When a QUIC connection SSL object has no default stream currently associated with it, for example because default stream functionality was disabled, calls to functions which require a stream on the QUIC connection SSL object (for example, SSL_read(3) and SSL_write(3)) will fail.

It is recommended that new applications and applications which rely on multiple streams forego use of the default stream functionality, which is intended for legacy applications.

SSL_set_default_stream_mode() can be used to configure or disable default stream handling. It can only be called on a QUIC connection SSL object prior to any default stream being created. If used, it is recommended to call it immediately after calling SSL_new(3), prior to initiating a connection. The argument mode may be one of the following options:

SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_AUTO_BIDI
  This is the default setting. If SSL_write(3) is called prior to any call to SSL_read(3), a bidirectional client-initiated stream is created and bound as the default stream. If SSL_read(3) is called prior to any call to SSL_write(3), OpenSSL waits for an incoming stream from the peer (causing SSL_read(3) to block if the connection is in blocking mode), and then binds that stream as the default stream. Note that this incoming stream may be either bidirectional or unidirectional; thus, this setting does not guarantee the presence of a bidirectional stream when SSL_read(3) is called first. To determine the type of a stream after a call to SSL_read(3), use SSL_get_stream_type(3).
SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_AUTO_UNI
  In this mode, if SSL_write(3) is called prior to any call to SSL_read(3), a unidirectional client-initiated stream is created and bound as the default stream. The behaviour is otherwise identical to that of SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_AUTO_BIDI. The behaviour when SSL_read(3) is called prior to any call to SSL_write(3) is unchanged.
SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_NONE
  Default stream creation is inhibited. This is the recommended mode of operation. SSL_read(3) and SSL_write(3) calls cannot be made on the QUIC connection SSL object directly. You must obtain streams using SSL_new_stream(3) or SSL_accept_stream(3) in order to communicate with the peer.

A default stream will not be automatically created on a QUIC connection SSL object if the default stream mode is set to SSL_DEFAULT_STREAM_MODE_NONE.

SSL_set_incoming_stream_policy(3) interacts significantly with the default stream functionality.

# RETURN VALUES

SSL_set_default_stream_mode() returns 1 on success and 0 on failure.

SSL_set_default_stream_mode() fails if it is called after a default stream has already been established.

These functions fail if called on a QUIC stream SSL object or on a non-QUIC SSL object.

# SEE ALSO

SSL_new_stream(3), SSL_accept_stream(3), SSL_free(3), SSL_set_incoming_stream_policy(3)

# HISTORY

These functions were added in OpenSSL 3.2.

# COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2002-2023 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.

Licensed under the Apache License 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You can obtain a copy in the file LICENSE in the source distribution or at <https://www.openssl.org/source/license.html>.

2026-06-09 | 3.5.7