Configuring Apache Virtual Hosts with SSL via Certbot

Setting up HTTPS on your website might seem a bit intimidating at first—especially when you’re dealing with Apache virtual hosts and SSL certificates. I’ve been there too, and I know how many moving parts there can be. That’s why I put together this simple, step-by-step guide to help anyone—whether you’re just getting started or need a quick refresher—secure your site using Certbot and Let’s Encrypt.

In this post, I’ll walk you through the process of configuring your Apache virtual host, installing a free SSL certificate, and making sure everything stays up and running with auto-renewals. Hopefully, this helps make the path to a more secure web feel just a little smoother.

Let’s dive in.

Prerequisites

• Apache installed and running
• A registered domain name pointed to your server’s IP
• sudo access on the server
• Certbot and the Apache plugin installed

Step 1: Install Certbot + Apache Plugin (if not already)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache

Step 2: Step 2: Configure Apache Virtual Host

Edit / Create Virtual Host file

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/yourdomain.com.conf

Basic Example:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName yourdomain.com
    ServerAlias www.yourdomain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/yourdomain.com

    <Directory /var/www/yourdomain.com>
        Options -Indexes +FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/yourdomain_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/yourdomain_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Enable and reload it

sudo a2ensite yourdomain.com
sudo systemctl reload apache2

Step 3: Step 3: Get the SSL Certificate with Certbot

Use the Apache plugin to automatically configure HTTPS:

sudo certbot --apache -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com

Certbot will:

• Obtain a certificate
• Update your Apache config with SSL settings
• Reload Apache

Step 4: Auto-Renewal Check

Certbot sets up a cron job or systemd timer. You can test it:

sudo certbot renew --dry-run

Congratulations! Now your site should be accessible via https://yourdomain.com