How to Get a Free SSL Certificate: A Step-by-Step Guide

Every developer wants free SSL certificate for their website or app. Securing your website with an SSL certificate is essential in today’s digital landscape. An SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate ensures that all data exchanged between your website and its visitors is encrypted, safeguarding sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, and personal data. This not only protects users but also builds trust, as most browsers mark sites without SSL as “Not Secure.” Furthermore, SSL certificates are a key factor in SEO rankings, as search engines prioritize secure websites.

The good news is, you don’t have to pay for this critical security feature. Many trusted authorities offer free SSL certificates, such as Let’s Encrypt, making it easier for businesses and developers to secure their websites. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to obtain a free SSL certificate, improve your website’s security, and boost your visitors’ confidence.

Why SSL is Important

Before diving into the steps, let’s briefly understand why SSL certificates are crucial:

• Data Encryption: SSL encrypts data transferred between users and your website, protecting it from interception by malicious actors.
• Trust and Credibility: Websites with SSL certificates display a padlock icon in the browser’s address bar, building trust with visitors.
• SEO Benefits: Search engines like Google favor websites with SSL certificates, potentially boosting your site’s ranking.

Step 1: Choose a Free SSL Certificate Provider

Several providers offer free SSL certificates. Some of the most popular options include:

• Let’s Encrypt: A widely used certificate authority that provides free SSL certificates for 90 days, renewable indefinitely.
• ZeroSSL: Offers free SSL certificates for 90 days, with a simple online interface.
• Cloudflare: While not a traditional SSL provider, Cloudflare offers SSL for free when you use their content delivery network (CDN) services.

Step 2: Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

To obtain an SSL certificate, you need to generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR). This request contains your domain name and company information. Here’s how to generate a CSR:

1. For Apache or Nginx (Linux):
   • Use OpenSSL: openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout yourdomain.key -out yourdomain.csr
   • Follow the prompts to enter your domain name and other details.
2. For Windows (IIS):
   • Open IIS Manager.
   • Select your server, then click on “Server Certificates.”
   • Click on “Create Certificate Request” and fill out the required information.

Step 3: Submit the CSR to the SSL Provider

Once your CSR is generated, submit it to your chosen SSL provider. Let’s Encrypt, for example, uses an automated process to validate your domain and issue the certificate. Here’s how it works with Let’s Encrypt:

• Use the Certbot tool: Certbot automates the process of obtaining and installing an SSL certificate.
• Install Certbot on your server using the package manager.
  • For Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install certbot
• Run Certbot to generate and install the certificate:
  • For Apache: sudo certbot --apache
  • For Nginx: sudo certbot --nginx

Certbot will automatically handle domain validation and certificate installation.

Step 4: Install the SSL Certificate

If you use Certbot, the certificate installation is handled automatically. If you’re installing the certificate manually, follow these steps:

For Apache:

Edit your site’s virtual host file to include the SSL configuration:

<VirtualHost *:443>
  ServerName yourdomain.com
  SSLEngine on
  SSLCertificateFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/fullchain.pem
  SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem
</VirtualHost>

Restart Apache: sudo systemctl restart apache2

For Nginx:

Modify your server block to include the SSL certificate:

server {
  listen 443 ssl;
  server_name yourdomain.com;
  ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/fullchain.pem;
  ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem;
}

Reload Nginx: sudo systemctl reload nginx

Step 5: Renew the SSL Certificate

Free SSL certificates typically expire after 90 days. However, renewing them is straightforward. If you’re using Certbot, you can set up automatic renewal:

Run the following command to renew all installed certificates:

sudo certbot renew

Add a cron job to automate this process:

0 0,12 * * * /usr/bin/certbot renew --quiet

Conclusion

Obtaining a free SSL certificate is a straightforward process that significantly enhances your website’s security and credibility. By following these steps, you can protect your site’s data and build trust with your visitors at no cost.