From 0b7552ef8b9681186d2864a1c7297be1eb3b7daa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Peter Eckersley Date: Tue, 1 Dec 2015 15:16:17 -0800 Subject: [PATCH] Begin cleaning up README.md --- README.rst | 75 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++--------------------------- 1 file changed, 38 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-) diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst index ce0d1b686..e4dc0896f 100644 --- a/README.rst +++ b/README.rst @@ -3,12 +3,9 @@ Disclaimer ========== -This is a **DEVELOPER PREVIEW** intended for developers and testers only. - -**DO NOT RUN THIS CODE ON A PRODUCTION SERVER. IT WILL INSTALL CERTIFICATES -SIGNED BY A TEST CA, AND WILL CAUSE CERT WARNINGS FOR USERS.** - -Browser-trusted certificates will be available in the coming months. +The Let's Encrypt client is **BETA SOFTWARE**. It contains plenty of bugs and +rough edges, and should be tested thoroughly in staging evironments before use +on production systems. For more information regarding the status of the project, please see https://letsencrypt.org. Be sure to checkout the @@ -17,37 +14,39 @@ https://letsencrypt.org. Be sure to checkout the About the Let's Encrypt Client ============================== +Installation +------------ + +If `letsencrypt` is packaged for your OS, you can install it from there, and +run it by typing `letsencrypt`. Because not all operating systems have +packages yet, we provide a temporary solution via the `letsencrypt-auto` +wrapper script, which obtains some dependencies from your OS and puts others +in an python virtual environment:: + + user@www:~$ git clone https://github.com/letsencrypt/letsencrypt + user@www:~$ cd letsencrypt + user@www:~/letsencrypt$ ./letsencrypt-auto --help + +`letsencrypt-auto` updates to the latest client release automatically. And +since `letsencrypt-auto` is a wrapper to `letsencrypt`, it accepts exactly the +same command line flags and arguments. More details about this script and +other installation methods can be found [in the User +Guide](https://letsencrypt.readthedocs.org/en/latest/using.html#installation) + +Running the client and understanding client plugins +--------------------------------------------------- + +In many cases, you can just run `letsencrypt-auto` or `letsencrypt`, and the +client will guide you through the process of obtaining and installing certs +interactively. + +But to understand what the client is doing in detail, it's important to +understand the way it uses plugins. Please see the [explanation of +plugins](https://letsencrypt.readthedocs.org/en/latest/using.html#plugins) in +the User Guide. + |build-status| |coverage| |docs| |container| -In short: getting and installing SSL/TLS certificates made easy (`watch demo video`_). - -The Let's Encrypt Client is a tool to automatically receive and install -X.509 certificates to enable TLS on servers. The client will -interoperate with the Let's Encrypt CA which will be issuing browser-trusted -certificates for free. - -It's all automated: - -* The tool will prove domain control to the CA and submit a CSR (Certificate - Signing Request). -* If domain control has been proven, a certificate will get issued and the tool - will automatically install it. - -All you need to do to sign a single domain is:: - - user@www:~$ sudo letsencrypt -d www.example.org certonly - -For multiple domains (SAN) use:: - - user@www:~$ sudo letsencrypt -d www.example.org -d example.org certonly - -and if you have a compatible web server (Apache or Nginx), Let's Encrypt can -not only get a new certificate, but also deploy it and configure your -server automatically!:: - - user@www:~$ sudo letsencrypt -d www.example.org run - - **Encrypt ALL the things!** @@ -78,9 +77,11 @@ Current Features * Supports multiple web servers: - - apache/2.x (tested and working on Ubuntu Linux) - - nginx/0.8.48+ (under development) + - apache/2.x (working on Debian 8+ and Ubuntu 12.04+) - standalone (runs its own simple webserver to prove you control a domain) + - webroot (adds files to webroot directories in order to prove control of + domains and obtain certs) + - nginx/0.8.48+ (under development) * The private key is generated locally on your system. * Can talk to the Let's Encrypt (demo) CA or optionally to other ACME