Get easy SSL certificates with simple-acme, a cross-platform ACME client for startup founders.
intermediate⏱ 30 minutes💵 Free
561 stars48 forksC#Quality 8/10Updated 7/3/2026100% free · open source
What it is
Use a command-line tool to automatically obtain certificates from Let's Encrypt
What you can make with it
Automations like: set up a self-signed SSL certificate for a new C# web project in a few minutes.
How it helps
Saves time and effort in obtaining certificates, allowing for faster development and deployment of secure web applications.
Real use case example
"A solo developer named Alex wants to create a new C# web project but needs a certificate for HTTPS. Alex installs this tool and sets it up with their Let's Encrypt account. They write a short script to automatically obtain and renew the certificate whenever needed. Now Alex can deploy their secure web application quickly."
If you're new
Picking this up first can help you learn the basics of automation and command-line tools.
If you're senior
Experienced professionals will find this tool useful for automating certificate management in their C# projects.
Common confusion cleared up
Note that this tool requires a basic understanding of the command line and Let's Encrypt account setup, but the payoff in convenience and time saved is significant
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Why we list it on WorkflowStacks: Free and open-source, making it a valuable tool in our marketplace of AI tools.
What it does
Simple-acme is a cross-platform ACME client that helps startup founders obtain easy SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt and other certificate authorities.
Install / run
git clone https://github.com/simple-acme/simple-acme.git && cd simple-acme
When to use it
•When you need to secure your website with HTTPS and don't want to deal with complex certificate management
•When you're using a platform that doesn't provide built-in SSL certificate management, such as a custom server or a legacy system
•When you want to automate the process of obtaining and renewing SSL certificates for your startup's web applications
Quick start
1Create a new directory for your certificate and navigate to it: mkdir mycertificate && cd mycertificate
2Run the simple-acme client to obtain a certificate: dotnet run --server https://acme-staging-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory
3Configure your DNS settings to point to the certificate: simple-acme will provide you with a TXT record to add to your DNS settings
4Verify your domain ownership and obtain the certificate: simple-acme will handle the verification process and obtain the certificate for you
5Use the obtained certificate to secure your website: you can use the certificate with your web server, such as Apache or Nginx
Ready-to-paste prompt
dotnet run --email your@email.com --server https://acme-staging-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory --domain yourdomain.com
Heads up: Make sure you have the .NET Core 3.1 or later runtime installed on your system, as simple-acme is built using C# and requires this runtime to function
Saves to your device
Topics
acme
apache
automation
certificates
cli
client
cross-platform
csharp
dotnet
free
https
iis
letsencrypt
linux
pem
pfx
rfc8555
windows
What's inside — free to inspect
No purchase needed
Read the entire source before you build — unlike paid marketplaces that hide it behind a buy button.
9
top-level files
4
folders
8.1M
repo size
Apache-2.0
license
Key files
README.md
File tree
.github/
build/
dist/
src/
.gitignore
.gitmodules
appveyor.yml
CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
CONTRIBUTING.md
LICENSE
PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
README.md
SECURITY.md
Quick Actions
Details
Creator
simple-acme
Language
C#
Category
automation
Published
6/26/2024
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