---
title: "HTTPS"
description: "HTTPS is the encrypted version of HTTP built on TLS. Learn the role of the SSL certificate, the handshake, and how HTTPS affects security, trust and SEO."
url: "https://nodea.io/en/glossary/https"
lang: "en"
updated: "2026-07-13"
---

# HTTPS

> HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) is the encrypted version of HTTP, in which communication between browser and server runs through a TLS layer. It provides confidentiality, data integrity and verification of the server's identity.

**HTTPS** (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) is the secure, encrypted variant of the [HTTP](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/http) protocol. All communication between browser and server passes through the cryptographic [TLS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/tls) layer (formerly [SSL](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/ssl)), so the data sent — passwords, personal details, card numbers — is unreadable to outsiders. HTTPS runs on port 443 by default and is today the standard protocol of the web.

## How HTTPS works

HTTPS provides three security guarantees: **confidentiality** (data is encrypted), **integrity** (it cannot be silently altered in transit) and **authentication** (the certificate confirms you are connecting to the right server, not an impostor). Establishing the connection is preceded by a TLS *handshake*:

1. Browser and server negotiate the protocol version and the set of encryption algorithms.
2. The server presents a certificate, which the browser verifies against trusted certificate authorities.
3. The two sides agree on a session key used to symmetrically encrypt the rest of the communication.

The whole process takes milliseconds and is invisible to the user, who only sees a padlock symbol in the address bar. HTTPS is complemented by the [HSTS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/hsts) mechanism, which forces connections over the encrypted channel only.

## Practical application

HTTPS is a mandatory standard for any site handling user data — stores, contact forms, login panels — and browsers mark unencrypted sites as not secure. Deployment comes down to installing a certificate on the server; the free [Let's Encrypt](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/lets-encrypt-ssl-certificates) certificates offered in hosting panels have made HTTPS available at no extra cost. Beyond security, HTTPS is also a prerequisite for using newer, faster protocol versions such as [HTTP/2](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/http-2).

### Does HTTPS affect Google rankings?

Yes, HTTPS has been a confirmed, if lightweight, Google ranking factor since 2014. The indirect impact matters more, though: browsers flag non-HTTPS sites as not secure, which raises bounce rate and lowers trust — and that indirectly harms visibility.

### Are an SSL certificate and HTTPS the same thing?

No, although they are closely linked. HTTPS is the communication protocol, while an SSL/TLS certificate is the cryptographic document it uses to authenticate the server and establish encryption. Without a valid certificate installed on the server, HTTPS cannot work.

## Related

- [HTTP](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/http)
- [SSL](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/ssl)
- [TLS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/tls)
- [HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security)](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/hsts)
- [Let's Encrypt (SSL certificates)](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/lets-encrypt-ssl-certificates)

---

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