How to install an SSL certificate on Node.js

12 months ago

euroSSL

2 minutes

Prerequisites:

A domain name (e.g., example.com)
Access to the server running Node.js
Node.js, OpenSSL and npm (Node Package Manager) installed

Generating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR):

Open a terminal or command prompt.
Navigate to your project directory.
Run the following command to generate a private key and CSR:

openssl req -nodes -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout private.key -out csr.pem

Enter the required information when prompted (e.g., common name, organization details).
Once complete, you will have two files: private.key (private key) and csr.pem (CSR)

Obtaining an SSL Certificate:

Use your CSR to obtain the preferred certificate on euroSSL.eu: you can choose simple DV certificates, or OV Certificates or (mostly professional) EV certificates.

Setting Up the Node.js Server:

Before installing the SSL certificate, ensure that your Node.js server is properly set up and running. This involves installing necessary dependencies and configuring your server to listen on the appropriate port (e.g., 443 for HTTPS).

Installing the SSL Certificate on Node.js:

Place the SSL certificate files (certificate.crt and ca_bundle.crt) in a secure location accessible to your server.
Create a new file, e.g., server.js, and open it in a text editor.
Import the required Node.js modules:

const fs = require('fs');
const https = require('https');

Read the SSL certificate and private key files:

const options = {
  cert: fs.readFileSync('path/to/certificate.crt'),
  ca: fs.readFileSync('path/to/ca_bundle.crt'),
  key: fs.readFileSync('path/to/private.key')
};

Create the HTTPS server and pass the options:

https.createServer(options, (req, res) => {
// Handle incoming requests
}).listen(443); // Replace with your desired port

Save the file

Testing the SSL Installation:

Restart your Node.js server.
Open a web browser and visit your domain with “https://” prefix (e.g., https://example.com).
Check for the padlock icon in the address bar and verify the certificate details.
Ensure the website loads without any security warnings.

Troubleshooting Common Issues:

If you encounter any issues during the SSL installation process, refer to the Node.js community for troubleshooting steps.
Common issues include file path errors, incorrect permissions, or incorrect configurations.
Particularly, remember to adjust the file paths, ports, and server configurations according to your specific setup.

#node.js