Lets Generate a free SSL certificate and run an HTTPS server in 5 minutes or less (Node + Express + LetsEncrypt)

 

What you actually came for

First, you need those few things:

• A server running on a linux distribution with root access (via SSH)
• NodeJS: https://nodejs.org/en/
• Express : npm install express
• Certbot

To install certbot, copy-paste those lines in a terminal :

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:certbot/certbot

$ sudo apt-get update

$ sudo apt-get install certbot

Second, you will generate an SSL certificate with certbot :

$ certbot certonly --manual

Type your domain name(s) without the protocol part. For instance: yourdomain.com or even muchdomain.verysite.

Type Y then ENTER.

Note two things :

• a-string : The name of the file you have to create, right now. Just create it, we’ll take care of the directories later.
• a-challenge: Open the file you just created and put this challenge string into it. Nothing else, just this challenge string.

Now, don’t continue. You need to run a web server with Node & Express.

Keep your terminal opened somewhere

• Create a directory with the name you want, e.g : server
• In this directory, create a JS file which will run your server. Keep it empty for the moment as I’ll provide you with a ready-to-copy/paste source code.
• In this directory, create two directories : .well-known , and inside this one, create : acme-challenge .
• In the directory : acme-challenge place the file you created before : a-string

This is what you should have :

\server
----\.well-known
--------\acme-challenge
------------a-string
----server.js

Important: Actually the filename isn’t a-string, it is a long alphanumeric string. For security purposes I can’t show you mine. Same goes for a-challenge…

You’re almost done !

Use your favorite code editor and copy-paste this code :

    

// Dependencies

    const express = require('express');

    // Configure & Run the http server

    const app = express();

    app.use(express.static(__dirname, { dotfiles: 'allow' } ));

    app.listen(80, () => {

      console.log('HTTP server running on port 80');

    });

To verify that everything is fine, open up your browser and navigate to : http://yourdomain.com/.well-known/acme-challenge/a-string

Your browser should download your challenge file. If it’s not the case, take everything back from the start. Don’t touch your shell, restart from directory & file creation.

If everything is okay, go back to your shell and type ENTER.

Copy-paste the following code and you’ll have a fresh HTTPS server running.

    

// Dependencies

    const fs = require('fs');

    const http = require('http');

    const https = require('https');

    const express = require('express');

    const app = express();

    // Certificate

    const privateKey = fs.readFileSync(

                '/etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem', 

                'utf8');

    const certificate = fs.readFileSync(

                '/etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/cert.pem', 

                'utf8');

    const ca = fs.readFileSync(

                '/etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/chain.pem', 

                'utf8');

    const credentials = {

      key: privateKey,

      cert: certificate,

      ca: ca

    };

    app.use((req, res) => {

      res.send('Hello there !');

    });

    // Starting both http & https servers

    const httpServer = http.createServer(app);

    const httpsServer = https.createServer(credentials, app);

    httpServer.listen(80, () => {

      console.log('HTTP Server running on port 80');

    });

    httpsServer.listen(443, () => {

      console.log('HTTPS Server running on port 443');

    });

Navigate to : https://yourdomain.com, you should see “Hello there !”.

Well done, you’ve reached the end of this tutorial.

Last words:

• You might encounter errors, restart the tutorial from the beginning and overall don’t forget to modify yourdomain.com with your actual domain name. Same goes for a-string and a-challenge.
• If nothing works, let me apologize. StackOverflow will be your best friend.
• This tutorial aims to make you use the manual method so that you have control over almost everything. In my case, this is the only solution that has worked.