[SOLVED] ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR on https://localhost:3000

Question

I was trying to enforce HTTPS on my deployed website on Heroku.

https://help.heroku.com/J2R1S4T8/can-heroku-force-an-application-to-use-ssl-tls

After setting up npm module express-sslify, I succeeded in forcing to use HTTPS on my deployed site on Heroku with 301 redirection;

https://www.npmjs.com/package/express-sslify

but then when I test the app in my computer with
node server.js
it forces my localhost to redirect to https://localhost:3000 and Chrome shows the above error ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR

I have edited the middleware line to

if (app.get("env") === "production") {
app.use(enforce.HTTPS({ trustProtoHeader: true }));
}

following issue #22:
https://github.com/florianheinemann/express-sslify/issues/22

but it kinds of remember it

I have queryed in chrome://net-internals/#hsts and localhost is not in the list.

Both of above steps does not solve the problem.

Can't develop any app now 🤷‍♂️

What should I do?

Use OpenSSL to self-sign a SSL cert? But how to use that for development only?

Answer 1

Gordon clear your browser cache or use private browsing.

Answer 2

I normally use reverse proxy, NGINX to redirect http to https port on production server, so i have no url redirection on node express.js side.

Answer 3

does it works on heroku ?
i see the express-sslify module, looks like its just enforce the route to use https. so you'll still need to setup https server yourself

Answer 4

Calviղ

I watched a tutorial about using NGINX on DigitalOcean last night. I don't know how to do that with Heroku.

https://youtu.be/oykl1Ih9pMg

And now Chrome kinds of remember that localhost should be redirected to https.

Because when I first node server.js I have not had the if (app. get('env') part

Answer 5

Calviղ Thanks for your suggestion, let me try tonight

Answer 6

Gordon
How do you npm start? node app.js?
If you put console.log(app.get("env")) what do you get?

Answer 7

Calviղ

I use

node server.js

to launch the app at localhost

When I console.log(app.get('env')) in my computer, I get

development

Answer 8

If env is not "production", then it shouldn't have run enforce.HTTPS? 🤔

Answer 9

Calviղ After clearing cache, problem is solved, thanks.

Answer 10

Taste Yes it works on Heroku

learntogether-hk.com
gordonchan.app

Both domain will be redirected to https now.

What I have done is this :

https://youtu.be/VEJEGV11NEw

It worked on Heroku because I have both purchased SSL certificates at namecheap/GoDaddy and the ACM at Heroku.

It doesn't work on localhost because I don't have SSL certificate at localhost.

Even if I put the app.use(enforce...) in if env, it still redirect me to https on localhost...

Answer 11

Well done 👍 Gordon