SSL/HTTPS FAQ

Questions about SSL certificates and HTTPS configuration.

SSL Basics

Q: Why do I need HTTPS for my documentation site?

A: HTTPS provides:

• Security: Encrypted data transmission
• Trust: Browser security indicators
• SEO: Google ranking factor
• Features: Required for modern web features
• Performance: HTTP/2 requires HTTPS

Q: How do I enable HTTPS on my VitePress site?

A: Most hosting services provide automatic HTTPS:

• GitHub Pages: Enable in repository settings
• Netlify: Automatic with Let's Encrypt
• Vercel: Automatic SSL provisioning
• Cloudflare Pages: Automatic SSL

GitHub Pages SSL

Q: How do I enable HTTPS on GitHub Pages?

A: Steps:

1. Go to repository Settings
2. Scroll to Pages section
3. Check "Enforce HTTPS"
4. Wait for certificate provisioning

Q: My GitHub Pages site shows SSL errors

A: Common solutions:

• Wait 24 hours for certificate provisioning
• Ensure custom domain is properly configured
• Check DNS configuration
• Verify CNAME file is correct

Netlify SSL

Q: How does Netlify handle SSL certificates?

A: Netlify automatically:

• Provisions Let's Encrypt certificates
• Renews certificates before expiration
• Handles both www and non-www domains
• Provides wildcard certificates for subdomains

Q: My Netlify site shows "Not Secure"

A: Troubleshooting steps:

1. Check domain configuration
2. Verify DNS propagation
3. Force certificate renewal
4. Contact Netlify support if issues persist

Custom SSL Certificates

Q: Can I use my own SSL certificate?

A: Yes, some hosting services allow custom certificates:

• Upload certificate files
• Configure private key
• Set up certificate chain
• Test configuration

Q: How do I get an SSL certificate?

A: Certificate sources:

• Free: Let's Encrypt, Cloudflare
• Paid: DigiCert, Comodo, GoDaddy
• Hosting provider: Often included
• CDN services: Cloudflare, AWS CloudFront

SSL Configuration

Q: How do I force HTTPS redirects?

A: Methods vary by hosting:

• Netlify: _redirects file or Netlify.toml
• Vercel: vercel.json configuration
• Apache: .htaccess rules
• Nginx: server configuration

Q: What are SSL security headers?

A: Important security headers:

Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains
Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'
X-Frame-Options: DENY
X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff

Troubleshooting

Q: Mixed content warnings in browser

A: Fix mixed content issues:

• Use HTTPS for all external resources
• Update hardcoded HTTP links
• Use protocol-relative URLs
• Check third-party integrations

Q: Certificate expired errors

A: Solutions:

• Check certificate expiration date
• Force certificate renewal
• Update DNS if using custom domain
• Contact hosting provider support

Q: How do I test my SSL configuration?

A: Testing tools:

• SSL Labs: Comprehensive SSL testing
• Browser dev tools: Check certificate details
• OpenSSL: Command-line testing
• SSL Checker: Online validation tools