If that isn't your idea of doing things, read on...
-**Shared hosts**
+Shared hosts
+---
If you are using a shared host on a domain of your own, your provider may well offer to obtain and install the certificate for you.
You will then only need to apply and pay for it – and everything will be set up.
The above ought to be the most common scenario for Friendica sites, making the rest of this article superfluous for most people.
-**Obtaining a certificate yourself**
+Obtaining a certificate yourself
+---
Alternatively, a few shared hosting providers may ask you to obtain and upload the certificate yourself.
Note: Your certificate is usually restricted to one subdomain.
When you apply for the certificate, make sure it’s for the domain and subdomain Friendica uses: e.g. myownfriendica.com or friendica.myserver.com.
-**Getting a free StartSSL certificate**
+Getting a free StartSSL certificate
+---
StartSSL’s website attempts to guide you through the process of obtaining a free certificate, but some people end up frustrated.
We really recommend working your way through the steps on the site very slowly and carefully.
If you have already overlooked this step, you can download those files here: http://www.startssl.com/?app=21
But once again, the very best way of doing things is not to quit the StartSSL site until you are completely done and your https certificate is up and working.
-**Virtual private and dedicated servers (using StartSSL free)**
+Virtual private and dedicated servers (using StartSSL free)
+---
The rest of this document is slightly more complicated, but it’s only for people running Friendica on a virtual private or dedicated server.
Everyone else can stop reading at this point.
Friendica's own admin panel has a special setting for SSL policy.
Please use this facility instead.
-**Mixing certificates on Apache – StartSSL and others (self-signed)**
+Mixing certificates on Apache – StartSSL and others (self-signed)
+---
Many people using a virtual private or dedicated server will be running more than Friendica on it.
They will probably want to use SSL for other sites they run on the server, too.
Just restart Apache when you're done, whichever way you decide to do it.
-**StartSSL on Nginx**
+StartSSL on Nginx
+---
First, update to the latest Friendica code.
Then follow the above instructions to get your free certificate.