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fieldju/acme4j

Analysis updated 2026-07-17 · repo last pushed 2017-10-31

JavaAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5DormantSetup · moderate

TLDR

A Java library that automates getting and renewing SSL certificates from ACME servers like Let's Encrypt, so certificates never expire unnoticed.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Automates SSL certificates
      Talks to ACME servers
      Handles domain verification
      Auto renewal
    Tech stack
      Java
      Maven
      ACME protocol
    Use cases
      HTTPS for Java services
      Avoid manual renewal
      Prevent expired certs
    Audience
      Java developers
      Backend engineers
    Setup
      Add via Maven
      Lightweight deps
    Notes
      Supports ACME v1
      v2 in separate branch

Code map

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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Automatically request and renew SSL certificates for a Java-based web service.

USE CASE 2

Integrate Let's Encrypt certificate issuance directly into a Java application.

USE CASE 3

Avoid outages caused by expired HTTPS certificates through automated renewal.

USE CASE 4

Programmatically prove domain ownership as part of the ACME verification flow.

What is it built with?

JavaMavenACMELet's Encrypt

How does it compare?

fieldju/acme4jabhishek-kumar09/configurateabhishek-kumar09/orekit
LanguageJavaJavaJava
Last pushed2017-10-312020-09-302020-11-15
MaintenanceDormantDormantDormant
Setup difficultymoderateeasymoderate
Complexity3/52/54/5
Audiencedeveloperdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Uses the older ACME v1 protocol, ACME v2 support lives in a separate branch.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Show me how to add acme4j to my Java project via Maven and request my first certificate.
Prompt 2
Explain how acme4j proves domain ownership during the ACME verification process.
Prompt 3
Help me set up automatic certificate renewal with acme4j so my site never has an expired cert.
Prompt 4
What's the difference between the ACME v1 support in this library and the newer v2 branch?

Frequently asked questions

What is acme4j?

A Java library that automates getting and renewing SSL certificates from ACME servers like Let's Encrypt, so certificates never expire unnoticed.

What language is acme4j written in?

Mainly Java. The stack also includes Java, Maven, ACME.

Is acme4j actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2017-10-31).

How hard is acme4j to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is acme4j for?

Mainly developer.

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