OpenSSL missing during ./configure. How to fix?

Question

I was trying to install node.js and found OpenSSL support missing during ./configure.

How can I fix it?

Is it a mandatory step?

# ./configure

Checking for gcc                         : ok
Checking for library dl                  : not found
Checking for openssl                     : not found
Checking for function SSL_library_init   : not found
Checking for header openssl/crypto.h     : not found
/home/ec2-user/node-v0.6.6/wscript:374: error: Could not autodetect OpenSSL 
                                               support.

Make sure OpenSSL development packages are installed. Use configure --without-ssl to disable this message.

Answer 1

Yes, it's a mandatory step. You cannot remove OpenSSL from a program uses it, the same way you couldn't remove random engine parts from a car.

The OpenSSL library is usually already installed, but you have to install the header files. Depending on your Linux distribution, you'll need these packages:

• Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS - openssl-devel
• Debian, Ubuntu - libssl-dev
• Arch - openssl

---

_{Technically one could replace OpenSSL with, say, NSS, but that's not the point here.}

Answer 2

No, it isn't. You can still compile nodejs with ./configure --without-ssl