nodejs-self-signed-certificate-example ====================================== The end off all your self-signed certificate woes (in node.js at least) This is an easy-as-git-clone example that will get you on your way without any `DEPTH_ZERO_SELF_SIGNED_CERT` or `SSL certificate problem: Invalid certificate chain` headaches. See [the explanation](https://github.com/coolaj86/node-ssl-root-cas/wiki/Painless-Self-Signed-Certificates-in-node.js) for the many details. Test for yourself --- An example that works. ```bash example ├── make-root-ca-and-certificates.sh ├── package.json ├── serve.js └── request-without-warnings.js ``` ### Get the repo ```bash git clone git@github.com:coolaj86/nodejs-self-signed-certificate-example.git pushd nodejs-self-signed-certificate-example npm install ``` **For the super impatient**: ```bash bash test.sh ``` ### Create certificates for your FQDN `local.ldsconnect.org` points to `localhost`, so it's ideal for your first test. ```bash bash make-root-ca-and-certificates.sh 'local.ldsconnect.org' ``` ``` certs/ ├── ca │   ├── my-root-ca.crt.pem │   ├── my-root-ca.key.pem │   └── my-root-ca.srl ├── client │   ├── my-root-ca.crt.pem │   └── my-server.pub ├── server │   ├── my-root-ca.crt.pem │   ├── my-server.crt.pem │   └── my-server.key.pem └── tmp └── my-server.csr.pem ``` ### Run the server ```bash node ./serve.js 8043 & # use `fg` and `ctrl+c` to kill ``` ### Test in a client Test (warning free) in node.js ```bash node ./request-without-warnings.js 8043 ``` Test (warning free) with cURL ```bash curl -v https://local.ldsconnect.org \ --cacert client/my-root-ca.crt.pem ``` Visit in a web browser To get rid of the warnings, simply add the certificate in the `client` folder to your list of certificates by alt-clicking "Open With => Keychain Access" on `my-root-ca.crt.pem` You do have to set `Always Trust` a few times [as explained](http://www.robpeck.com/2010/10/google-chrome-mac-os-x-and-self-signed-ssl-certificates/#.U8RqrI1dVd8) by Rob Peck. Now season to taste --- You can poke around in the files for generating the certificates, but all you really have to do is replace `local.ldsconnect.org` with your very own domain name. But where's the magic? ==== Who's the man behind the curtain you ask? Well... I lied. This demo doesn't use self-signed certificates (not in the server at least). It uses a self-signed Root CA and a signed certificate. It turns out that self-signed certificates were designed to be used by the Root Certificate Authorities, not by web servers. So instead of trying to work through eleventeen brazillion errors about self-signed certs, you can just create an authority and then add the authority to your chain (viola, now it's trusted).