How to install a free SSL certificate with Let's Encrypt

HTTPS is no longer optional: browsers mark sites without it as insecure and Google penalizes them. Let\'s Encrypt offers free SSL certificates, and the certbot tool installs and renews them automatically.

Before you start

You need a domain that already points to your server IP (an A record). See the guide How to point a domain to your VPS if you have not done this yet.

Install on Nginx

apt-get install -y certbot python3-certbot-nginx
certbot --nginx -d example.com -d www.example.com

Certbot asks for an email, edits the Nginx config for you and enables HTTPS. Answer redirect to force all traffic to HTTPS.

Install on Apache

apt-get install -y certbot python3-certbot-apache
certbot --apache -d example.com -d www.example.com

Automatic renewal

Let\'s Encrypt certificates are valid for 90 days. Certbot already installs a timer that renews them automatically. Test that it works:

certbot renew --dry-run

If you run apps in Docker, many images (for example those in our one-click app catalog) manage the certificate themselves on your server\'s .cloudlinux.ro subdomain.