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CertificatesIntermediate
ACME Protocol - Automated Certificate Issuance
Learn how ACME protocol automates certificate issuance with Let's Encrypt. Interactive demo shows the challenge-response flow and DNS/HTTP validation.
Interactive Demo
ACME Protocol - How Let's Encrypt Works
Automated Certificate Management Environment - free, automatic SSL certificates
Your Server
(certbot)
ACME Protocol
ACME Server
(Let's Encrypt)
Client Server Both
Challenge Types
http://example.com/.well-known/acme-challenge/TOKEN123 With content: TOKEN123.ACCOUNT_THUMBPRINT
Pros
- Works with any web server
- Easy to set up
- No DNS access needed
Cons
- Requires port 80 open
- Can't do wildcard certs
- Doesn't work for internal domains
90-Day Certificate Lifecycle
Day 0Day 30Day 60Day 90
VALID
RENEW
⚠️
Certbot auto-renews at ~60 days (30 days remaining)
ACME enables free, automated SSL certificates for everyone
Want to learn more?
Read our comprehensive guide on the ACME Protocol