# [Greenlock Express v4](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js) is Let's Encrypt for Node | Built by [Root](https://therootcompany.com) for [Hub](https://rootprojects.org/hub/) | ![Greenlock Logo](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock.js/raw/branch/master/logo/greenlock-1063x250.png "Greenlock Logo") ### Free SSL for Node Web Servers Greenlock Express is a **Web Server** with **Fully Automated HTTPS** and renewals. You define your app and let Greenlock handle issuing and renewing Free SSL Certificates. ```bash npm init npm install --save greenlock-express@v4 ``` `server.js`: ```js "use strict"; var app = require("./app.js"); require("greenlock-express") .init({ packageRoot: __dirname, configDir: "./greenlock.d", // contact for security and critical bug notices maintainerEmail: "jon@example.com", // whether or not to run at cloudscale cluster: false }) // Serves on 80 and 443 // Get's SSL certificates magically! .serve(app); ``` `./greenlock.d/config.json`: ```json { "sites": [{ "subject": "example.com", "altnames": ["example.com"] }] } ``` # Let's Encrypt for... - IoT - Enterprise On-Prem - Local Development - Home Servers - Quitting Heroku # Features - [x] Let's Encrypt v2 (November 2019) - [x] ACME Protocol (RFC 8555) - [x] HTTP Validation (HTTP-01) - [x] DNS Validation (DNS-01) - [ ] ALPN Validation (TLS-ALPN-01) - Need ALPN validation? [contact us](mailto:greenlock-support@therootcompany.com) - [x] Automated HTTPS - [x] Fully Automatic Renewals every 45 days - [x] Free SSL - [x] **Wildcard** SSL - [x] **Localhost** certificates - [x] HTTPS-enabled Secure **WebSockets** (`wss://`) - [x] **Cloud-ready** with Node `cluster`. - [x] Fully customizable - [x] **Reasonable defaults** - [x] Domain Management - [x] Key and Certificate Management - [x] ACME Challenge Plugins # Compatibility Works with _any_ node http app, including - [x] Express - [x] Koa - [x] hapi - [x] rill - [x] http2 - [x] cluster - [x] etc... # v4 QuickStart Serving sites with Free SSL is as easy as 1, 2, 3... 4 ### Overview 1. Create a Project with Greenlock Express - `server.js` - `app.js` 2. Setup the config file (or database) - `greenlock.d/config.json` 3. Add Domains - `npx greenlock add --subject example.com --altnames example.com` 4. Hello, World! - `npm start -- --staging` ## 1. Create your Project If you need to install Node.js, do so: Mac, Linux: ```bash curl -fsS https://webinstall.dev/node | bash ``` Windows 10: ```pwsh curl -fsSA "MS" https://webinstall.dev/node | powershell ``` Then create a directory for your project, and initialize it: ```bash mkdir -p my-sites pushd my-sites npm init npm install --save greenlock-express@v4 ``` ## 2. Initialize and Config (Dir or DB) You can use **local file storage** or a **database**. The default is to use file storage. You'll need to create `server.js` and `greenlock.d/config.json`. You can do so using the CLI, API, or by hand. ### Using the CLI (simplest, recommended) Anytime you install an npm module that contains an executable, you can run it using `npx`. To initialize the Greenlock config, run `npx greenlock init`: ```bash npx greenlock init --config-dir ./greenlock.d --maintainer-email 'jon@example.com' ``` ### By Hand (for advanced users) Create `server.js` like so: `server.js`: ```js 'use strict'; var app = require('./app.js'); require('greenlock-express') .init({ packageRoot: __dirname, // where to look for configuration configDir: './greenlock.d', // whether or not to run at cloudscale cluster: false }) // Serves on 80 and 443 // Get's SSL certificates magically! .serve(app); ``` Create `app.js` like so: `app.js`: ```js 'use strict'; // Here's a vanilla HTTP app to start, // but feel free to replace it with Express, Koa, etc var app = function(req, res) { res.end('Hello, Encrypted World!'); }; module.exports = app; ``` Greenlock uses `.greenlockrc` to figure out whether to use the file system or a database for config, as well as where its root directory is. `.greenlockrc` ```json {"manager":{"module":"@greenlock/manager"},"configDir":"greenlock.d"} ``` The `greenlock.d/config.json` is NOT intended to be edited by hand, as it is a substitute for a database, but it looks like this: ```json { "defaults": { "subscriberEmail": "john.doe@example.com" }, "sites": [] } ``` ## 3. Add Sites For security, you must specify which sites you allow to request certificates. If you need this to be dynamic (i.e. checking a database or API, see the section below on custom site managers). Every site has a "subject" (its primary domain name) and one or more "altnames" (secondary or related domain names on the same certificate). ### Using CLI (simple, recommended) Simply supply the names of sites that you manage and they will be added to the file system config, or database. ```bash npx greenlock add --subject example.com --altnames example.com,www.example.com ``` ### By Hand (debugging only) You should NOT edit `greenlock.d/config.json` with your own tools. Use `greenlock.manager.add({})` instead. `greenlock.d/config.json`: ```json { "sites": [{ "subject": "example.com", "altnames": [ "example.com", "www.example.com" ] }] } ``` ## 4. Hello, Encrypted World! That was it! Now you can run your server! When you run `npm start`, it will automatically run `node server.js` (or `package.json.scripts.start`). For arguments that `npm start` should ignore, place them after `--`. Here we use `--staging` in order to tell greenlock to issue test certificates rather than real certificates. ```bash # Note: you can use npm start to run server.js with the --staging flag set npm start -- --staging ``` ```txt > my-project@1.0.0 start /srv/www/my-project > node server.js Listening on 0.0.0.0:80 for ACME challenges and HTTPS redirects Listening on 0.0.0.0:443 for secure traffic ``` If everything worked you can visit your site in your browser, and after a few seconds you'll see a "Hello World" message, and certificates will be saved in `greenlock.d/staging`. Run again without `--staging` and you will get real certificates. ### Season to taste Now you're ready to update `app.js` with your code. For example, try this next: ```bash npm install --save express mkdir -p public echo '

Hello!

' >> public/index.html ``` `app.js`: ```js 'use strict'; var path = require('path'); var express = require('express'); var app = express(); app.get('/', express.static(path.join(__dirname, "public"))); module.exports = app; // for development and debugging if (require.main === module) { require('http').createServer(app).listen(3000, function () { console.info("Listening for HTTP on", this.address()); }); } ``` # Walkthrough For a more detail read the full [WALKTHROUGH](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/WALKTHROUGH.md). # Examples To see all of the examples, just browse [greenlock-express.js/examples/](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples) | Example | Location + Description | | :--------------------: | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Express | [./examples/express/][ex-express] how to export an express app | | Node's **http2** | [./examples/http2/][ex-http2] how to use Node's built-in http2 server | | Node's https | [./examples/https][ex-https] how to customize the https server | | **WebSockets** | [./examples/websockets/][ex-websockets] how to use `on('upgrade')` | | Socket.IO | [./examples/socket.io][ex-socketio] how to overcomplicate a persistent connection | | Cluster | [./examples/cluster/][ex-cluster] how to use Node's built-in clustering with master and worker processes | | **Wildcards** | [coming someday][ex-wildcards] (ask to help create this) how to use DNS-01 for wildcard certs | | **Localhost** | [coming someday][ex-localhost] (ask to help create this) how to use DNS-01 for domains that resolve to private networks, such as 127.0.0.1 | | **CI/CD** | [coming someday][ex-cicd] (ask to help create this) how to use the `--staging` environment for test deployments | | HTTP Proxy | [examples/http-proxy][ex-http-proxy] how to (reverse) proxy decrypted traffic to another server | | - | Build your own
Be sure to tell me about it (open an issue) | [ex-express]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/express/ [ex-http2]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/http2/ [ex-https]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/https/ [ex-websockets]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/websockets/ [ex-socketio]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/socketo.io/ [ex-cluster]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/cluster/ [ex-wildcards]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/wildcards/ [ex-localhost]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/localhost/ [ex-cicd]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/ci-cd/ [ex-http-proxy]: https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/http-proxy/ # FAQ ## 1. But did YOU read the QuickStart? 99% of the questions I get are answered in the QuickStart, or in the Examples. Before you go into your specific use case, just try out the QuickStart from start to finish so that you can see that the default setup works, you get feel for the "lay of the land", and you know what to edit. ## 2. How to use JavaScript configuration? You don't. It's JSON on purpose. The configuration has to be serializable (i.e. could go in a database). The config file is meant for **simple** use cases, for the average dev and it is managed with `npx greenlock ...`, as shown in the QuickStart. If you have a **dynamic** or **advanced** use case (i.e. you need stuff in a database, or to change config on-the-fly), you can use the Greenlock API (not Greenlock Express) and you'll love it. If you're layering a lot of **complexity** with dev ops tools, but you don't really understand the tools that well (i.e. **Docker**), either use ENVIRONMENT variables or put the `npx greenlock ...` commands in your setup script. You MUST use a database for **lambda** "cloud functions" and such. You can also just mangle the Greenlock API to do what you want... but I don't recommend it. Keep it simple and your future self with thank you. General rule of thumb: commit code, not data / config. ## 3. How to use non-standard ports (not 80, 443)? You don't. Not usually. Let's Encrypt **REQUIRES port 80** for HTTP-01 challenges. But if you're using DNS-01 or you have a proxy in place, just use the raw node server. See these examples: - [examples/http/server.js](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/http/server.js) - [examples/https/server.js](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/https/server.js) If you want to use Greenlock as a proxy, see this example: - [examples/http-proxy/server.js](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-express.js/src/branch/master/examples/http-proxy/server.js) # Troubleshooting ### What if the example didn't work? Double check the following: - **Public Facing IP** for `http-01` challenges - Are you running this _as_ a public-facing webserver (good)? or localhost (bad)? - Does `ifconfig` show a public address (good)? or a private one - 10.x, 192.168.x, etc (bad)? - If you're on a non-public server, are you using the `dns-01` challenge? - **valid email** - You MUST set `maintainerEmail` to a **valid address** - MX records must validate (`dig MX example.com` for `'john@example.com'`) - **valid DNS records** - Must have public DNS records (test with `dig +trace A example.com; dig +trace www.example.com` for `[ 'example.com', 'www.example.com' ]`) - **write access** - You MUST set `configDir` to a writeable location (test with `touch ./greenlock.d/config.json`) - **port binding privileges** - You MUST be able to bind to ports 80 and 443 - You can do this via `sudo` or [`setcap`](https://gist.github.com/firstdoit/6389682) - **API limits** - You MUST NOT exceed the API [**usage limits**](https://letsencrypt.org/docs/staging-environment/) per domain, certificate, IP address, etc - **Red Lock, Untrusted** - You MUST switch from `npm start -- --staging` to `npm start` to use the **production** server - The API URL should not have 'acme-staging-v02', but should have 'acme-v02' # Using a Database, S3, etc If you have a small site, the default file storage will work well for you. If you have many sites with many users, you'll probably want to store config in a database of some sort. See the section on **Custom** callbacks and plugins below. # Advanced Configuration All of the advanced configuration is done by replacing the default behavior with callbacks. You can whip up your own, or you can use something that's published to npm. See the section on **Custom** callbacks and plugins below. # Easy to Customize - [Custom Domain Management](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-manager-test.js) - edit `server.js` and/or `.greenlockrc` to switch from the default `configDir` manager to your config system or database - CLI example: `npx greenlock init --manager ./path-or-npm-name.js --manager-FOO 'set option FOO'` - [Custom Key & Cert Storage](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock-store-test.js) - edit the `defaults` section of `greenlock.d/config.json` to change the certificate store or database - CLI example: `npx greenlock defaults --store greenlock-store-fs --store-base-path ./greenlock.d` - [Custom ACME HTTP-01 Challenges](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-http-01-test.js) - edit the `defaults` section of `greenlock.d/config.json` to change the challenges by hand - CLI example: `npx greenlock defaults --challenge-http-01 ./you-http-01.js` - [Custom ACME DNS-01 Challenges](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-test.js) - edit the `defaults` section of `greenlock.d/config.json` to change the challenges by hand - CLI example: `npx greenlock defaults --challenge-dns-01 acme-dns-01-ovh --challenge-dns-01-token xxxx` - Per-site example: `npx greenlock update --subject example.com --challenge-dns-01 ./your-dns-01.js` - API example: ```js greenlock.sites.set({ subject: "example.com", challenges: { "dns-01": { module: "my-npm-module-name", foo: "some option", bar: "some other option" } } }); ``` If you're using the default `configDir` management you can edit `greenlock.d/config.json` by hand to change which default and per-site modules are used. You can use the CLI, even if you're using a database, buckets, or your own file storage. You can also use the API, particularly if you need to set values dynamically per-site or per-user rather than using the global defaults. The certificate store and all challenges can be set per-site, but most per-site use cases are for DNS-01. # Ready-made Integrations Greenlock Express integrates between Let's Encrypt's ACME Challenges and many popular services. | Type | Service | Plugin | | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------ | | dns-01 | CloudFlare | acme-dns-01-cloudflare | | dns-01 | [Digital Ocean](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-digitalocean.js) | acme-dns-01-digitalocean | | dns-01 | [DNSimple](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-dnsimple.js) | acme-dns-01-dnsimple | | dns-01 | [DuckDNS](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-duckdns.js) | acme-dns-01-duckdns | | http-01 | File System / [Web Root](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-http-01-webroot.js) | acme-http-01-webroot | | dns-01 | [GoDaddy](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-godaddy.js) | acme-dns-01-godaddy | | dns-01 | [Gandi](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-gandi.js) | acme-dns-01-gandi | | dns-01 | [NameCheap](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-namecheap.js) | acme-dns-01-namecheap | | dns-01 | [Name.com](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-namedotcom.js) | acme-dns-01-namedotcom | | dns-01 | Route53 (AWS) | acme-dns-01-route53 | | http-01 | S3 (AWS, Digital Ocean, Scaleway) | acme-http-01-s3 | | dns-01 | [Vultr](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-vultr.js) | acme-dns-01-vultr | | dns-01 | [Build your own](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-dns-01-test.js) | acme-dns-01-test | | http-01 | [Build your own](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/acme-http-01-test.js) | acme-http-01-test | | tls-alpn-01 | [Contact us](mailto:support@therootcompany.com) | - | Example Usage: ```bash npx greenlock defaults --challenge-dns-01 acme-dns-01-ovh --challenge-dns-01-token xxxx npx greenlock defaults --challenge-http-01 acme-http-01-s3 --challenge-http-01-bucket my-bucket ``` Search `acme-http-01-` or `acme-dns-01-` on npm to find more. # Full Documentation Most of the documentation is done by use-case examples, as shown up at the top of the README. We're working on more comprehensive documentation for this newly released version. **Please open an issue** with questions in the meantime. # Commercial Support Do you need... - training? - specific features? - different integrations? - bugfixes, on _your_ timeline? - custom code, built by experts? - commercial support and licensing? You're welcome to [contact us](mailto:aj@therootcompany.com) in regards to IoT, On-Prem, Enterprise, and Internal installations, integrations, and deployments. We have both commercial support and commercial licensing available. We also offer consulting for all-things-ACME and Let's Encrypt. # Legal & Rules of the Road Greenlock™ is a [trademark](https://rootprojects.org/legal/#trademark) of AJ ONeal The rule of thumb is "attribute, but don't confuse". For example: > Built with [Greenlock Express](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock.js) (a [Root](https://rootprojects.org) project). Please [contact us](mailto:aj@therootcompany.com) if you have any questions in regards to our trademark, attribution, and/or visible source policies. We want to build great software and a great community. [Greenlock™](https://git.rootprojects.org/root/greenlock.js) | MPL-2.0 | [Terms of Use](https://therootcompany.com/legal/#terms) | [Privacy Policy](https://therootcompany.com/legal/#privacy)