Encyclopedia / Domain & network
HTTPS & TLS
Encryption between the browser and the server. It's the padlock.
TLS uses a certificate, issued by an authority such as Let's Encrypt, to prove the server really is example.com, and then encrypts everything in transit. Browsers warn on sites without it, and search engines prefer HTTPS. Hosts like Vercel and Netlify issue certificates automatically.
Related terms
Where it shows up in a page load
- Step 3: Secure connection. With the IP in hand, the browser opens a connection to the nearest CDN edge server and runs a TLS handshake. The server proves who it is with a certificate, and both sides agree on encryption keys. This is the padlock.
Watch the full request journey →
More in Domain & network
How a name like example.com turns into a secure connection to a real machine.