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Dev.to
5/11/2026
Guide to Automatic SSL Certificate Renewal for Nginx and Docker

Guide to Automatic SSL Certificate Renewal for Nginx and Docker

Short summary

Tutorial for automating SSL certificate renewal on Nginx + Docker using Certbot and Let's Encrypt. Author shares a real expired-cert incident and provides step-by-step docker-compose configuration with cron-based renewal logic. Key: use webroot validation and post-hook reload to keep HTTPS current without manual intervention.

  • Automated cert renewal prevents security warnings and site downtime
  • Docker + Certbot setup with webroot challenge method and post-renewal Nginx reload
  • Host-based cron triggers renewal twice daily for reliability

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