TLS & HTTPS Visualized, and HTTPS localhost setup in 2025
What you'll learn
- Create your own localhost server (Node and Live Server) that runs over HTTPS / TLS
- Join the ranks of elite developers who truly understand how TLS protects data in transit
- Understand HTTPS by creating your own Certificate Authority and signing certificates
- Gain a deep understanding of pure HTTPS and TLS
- Understand hybrid key exchange concepts that are used TODAY with TLS 1.3
- Learn encryption, hashing, HMACs and PIKs with respect to HTTPS
- Master the concepts of HTTPS and TLS
- Learn more than 99% of developers who think HTTPS is just "secure"!
- Understand how TLS works, visually
- Generate your own self-signed PIK certificates and sign for your server FOR FREE
- Understand concepts of asymmetric and symmetric encryption
- Understand the role of "public" and "private" keys in HTTPS
- Become a developer grandmaster
- Dive deep into the mechanics of TLS handshakes and understand how secure connections are forged!
- Hands-on experience in setting up HTTPS on locahost using Live Server (VSC) using Node
- Equip yourself with the skills to implement robust security measures in your web applications!
- Become a trusted developer by mastering the principles of encryption, authentication, and data integrity!
- Visualize TLS, PKI, HTTPS and more!
- Understand how to use OpenSSL and .cnf files to supply configurations to your certificates and keys
- How to extract the public key from a private key
- Understand why the private key often looks like the public key
- Understand PEM files, ASN.1 files and PCKS#1 files
- Learn the latest hybrid key exchange techniques used by latest browsers in TLS 1.3
- Understand the TLS 1.3 handshake process
Requirements
- No programming experience necessary, although a basic understanding of HTTP will be helpful
- Mac or PC, so you can code alongside with me
Description
*** BEST TOP RATED COURSE ON TLS AND HTTPS ***
Deep dive into TLS (previously called SSL) and HTTPS: Gain insights that set you apart from 99% of developers. Understand the true meaning of HTTPS beyond the surface-level claims of "security"
The end of HTTP/1.1: Any serious developer today must concentrate on TLS security and hosting websites over the more robust protocols like HTTP/2 and HTTP/3. Stay relevant in a rapidly evolving digital landscape
Key Concepts Unlocked: Explore advanced topics such as hybrid key exchange, encryption, public key infrastructure (PIK), asymmetric and symmetric cryptography, TLS handshake, HMAC, signatures, hashing, and cipher suites. Each concept builds a solid foundation for your web security knowledge.
This course is meticulously crafted for developers who are eager to elevate their TLS skills and gain a profound understanding of HTTPS, Certificate Authorities, and secure server configurations.
SSL is old-school, outdated and deprecated. Therefore this course focuses on TLS as the protocol used with HTTP/2 and HTTP/3.
What You’ll Learn:
Throughout this course, you will embark on an adventure that seamlessly blends theory with hands-on practice. Here’s what you can expect:
Practical HTTPS setup: You are going to learn how to use Node.js, and Live Server to set up a localhost server over a secure TLS / HTTPS connection. You will master the process of creating certificates and generating keys.
Encryption: Understand the principles of encryption, including both symmetric and asymmetric methods, the concept of "keys" and how they are applied in secure HTTPS communications.
TLS Handshake Mechanics: Dive deep into the TLS handshake process, learning how secure connections are established between clients and servers.
Public Key Infrastructure: Learn about the framework that enables secure data exchange through digital certificates and key management.
Advanced TLS Concepts and Cryptography: Gain insights into Hybrid Key Exchange (KEM algos), HMAC, signatures, hashing techniques, and cipher suites that form the backbone of secure TLS web interactions.
This HTTPS Course Is Practical:
You’ll put theory into action by setting up your own secure local server using HTTPS through the following steps:
Create Your Own Certificate Authority (CA): Learn how to set up a CA from scratch, giving you the authority to issue certificates for your projects.
Self-Sign Your CA Certificate: Discover how to self-sign your CA certificate, making it uniquely yours and ready for deployment.
Generate Keys for Security: Master the process of generating private and public keys for your server.
Request a Signed Certificate: Complete the setup by learning how to request a signed certificate, finalizing your secure server configuration.
Sign Your Server’s Certificate: Use your newly created CA to sign your server’s certificate, ensuring secure communication for your local applications.
Hands-On Experience:
In this course you will spin up a localhost server (running on 127.0.0.1) over HTTPS using:
Live Server in Visual Studio Code (we do this using a GUI and also OpenSSL)
A Node server instance, using the mkcert library (I'll show you how to do this using the API and also the CLI)
Additionally, you'll analyze traffic for both HTTP/2 and HTTP/3, gaining insights into modern web communication protocols. This course is not just about learning; it’s about doing!
Don’t Miss Out on Essential Skills!
In today's fast-paced tech landscape, mastering TLS and web security is no longer optional—it's essential. Every serious developer must be equipped with these skills to thrive in a competitive environment.
The time to act is now!
Equip yourself with the knowledge that will set you apart and position you as a leader in web development.
This is your chance to step confidently into the future of web security with our comprehensive course on Transport Layer Security (TLS).
So ... what are you waiting for?
Let's get crackin'
Who this course is for:
- Aspiring web developers looking to host their own HTTPS server with self-signed certificates
- Developers who want to demystify TLS and HTTPS and understand its real-world applications
- Professionals who want to learn more than 99% of developers who think HTTPS is just "secure" without understanding why!
- Curious minds ready to explore HTTP/2 and HTTP/3
- Anyone interested in becoming a confident advocate for web security in their organization!
- Developers eager to master Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and secure their applications with encryption!
Instructor
- 4.8 Instructor Rating
- 3,946 Reviews
- 15,450 Students
- 15 Courses
I appreciate my checkered past and often learnt things the hard way, through hard slog and trial and error.
I like to master what interests me, and share my successes with others.
My goal is to benefit my students most, to empower them with key knowledge and information not available in other courses.
A few words about me:
· I don’t care about titles
· Understanding means less mistakes later, and mistakes cost time
· My first computer was a box, installed with MS-DOS and Windows 95.
I'm an avid gamer
I’ve been coding for a long time. At the age of 7, in the early 90’s, I got my first pc and a few days later I became an avid gamer. I have always surrounded myself with coders. I still recall the days of floppy disks and playing “Doom”, “Duke Nukem” and of course one of my all-time favorites, “Red Alert”.
I’ve always been around computers, and that’s what makes my teaching style direct, to-the-point, and powerful!
Anyone can learn to write advanced code with the right attitude, and the right guidance. I invest 100% of my effort and thought into my students and how to present EVERY lecture to your advantage. I try to enhance your learning experience and accelerate your skill development. My aim is to teach you simply and clearly, in a fun way.
A big thank you to my students who continue to support me and provide ratings and feedback - I appreciate you.
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