---
name: "libssh2_knownhost_readfile"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libssh2"
version: "1.11.1-7"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/libssh2_knownhost_readfile"
---

# libssh2\_knownhost\_readfile(3)

parse a file of known hosts

## NAME

libssh2\_knownhost\_readfile - parse a file of known hosts

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <libssh2.h>
int
libssh2_knownhost_readfile(LIBSSH2_KNOWNHOSTS *hosts,
                           const char *filename, int type);
```

## DESCRIPTION

Reads a collection of known hosts from a specified file and adds them to the collection of known hosts.

*filename* specifies which file to read

*type* specifies what file type it is, and *LIBSSH2\_KNOWNHOST\_FILE\_OPENSSH* is the only currently supported format. This file is normally found named ~/.ssh/known\_hosts

## RETURN VALUE

Returns a negative value, a regular libssh2 error code for errors, or a positive number as number of parsed known hosts in the file.

## AVAILABILITY

Added in libssh2 1.2

## SEE ALSO

**[libssh2\_knownhost\_init(3)](/libssh2_knownhost_init/3.md)** **[libssh2\_knownhost\_free(3)](/libssh2_knownhost_free/3.md)** **[libssh2\_knownhost\_check(3)](/libssh2_knownhost_check/3.md)**