A digital file that: Proves ownership of a domain (authentication)
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Encrypts the connection (confidentiality)
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Prevents tampering (integrity)
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Issued by Certificate Authorities (CA) like DigiCert, Let’s Encrypt, or AWS ACM.
Contains:
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Domain name
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Expiry date
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Public key
Analogy: It’s like a passport for your website — proves who you are and secures communication
Why We Need SSL Certificates
To encrypt data between users and your app so no one can spy or tamper with it. To prove your site’s identity — prevents fake sites pretending to be you. Without SSL, users see “Not Secure” in browsers and risk having data stolen.