# Install Mkcert for SSL on Localhost

[![mkcert_on_local.jpg](https://docs.impressto.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2025-09/scaled-1680-/mkcert-on-local.jpg)](https://docs.impressto.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2025-09/mkcert-on-local.jpg)

Mkcert is a simple tool for generating locally-trusted development SSL/TLS certificates. It requires minimal configuration.

[https://github.com/FiloSottile/mkcert](https://github.com/FiloSottile/mkcert)

#### Prerequisites (Ubuntu / Debian)

Make sure you have:

- `libnss3-tools` installed
- Homebrew (Linuxbrew) if you want to install via brew

To install on Debian (Ubuntu) use the following commands:

```
sudo apt install libnss3-tools
```

Install [LinuxBrew ](https://docs.brew.sh/Homebrew-on-Linux)– get the [installer](https://brew.sh/)

```
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)"
```

Enable it

```
test -d ~/.linuxbrew && eval $(~/.linuxbrew/bin/brew shellenv)
test -d /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew && eval $(/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew shellenv)
test -r ~/.bash_profile && echo "eval \$($(brew --prefix)/bin/brew shellenv)" >>~/.bash_profile
echo "eval \$($(brew --prefix)/bin/brew shellenv)" >>~/.profile
```

Install mkcert

```
brew install mkcert;
mkcert -install;
```

If at this point you are getting a `mkcert command not found` , or `Warning: /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin is not in your PATH.` you many need to fix the global PATH var to include the mkcert bin folder. Edit your ~/$HOME/.profile file and add the following :

```
if [ -d "/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin" ] ; then
    PATH="/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin:$PATH"
fi
```

Save the .profile file and from the terminal run `source ~/.profile`

An alternative way to install Mkcert is the following (not fully tested by me):

```
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt install wget libnss3-tools
set MCVER="v.1.4.1"
wget -O mkcert https://github.com/FiloSottile/mkcert/releases/download/${MCVER}/mkcert-${MCVER}-linux-amd64
chmod +x mkcert
sudo mv mkcert /user/local/bin
```

#### Why This Matters

Using mkcert lets you emulate HTTPS in your local environment, which helps with catching mixed content issues, testing secure cookies, HSTS, etc., before you deploy to production.