To check a public server’s TLS configuration programmatically, use the Qualys SSL Labs API: it runs remote assessments and returns results through an HTTP/JSON workflow. For scans that must run locally, cover non-web services, or reach targets unavailable from the public internet, use a command-line scanner such as testssl.sh instead. Choose based on target reachability, where the scan runs, automation needs, and the API’s current terms.
What a TLS scan API checks—and what it does not guarantee
A TLS scan assesses the configuration a server presents to a scanner. SSL Labs exposes its SSL/TLS server testing functionality through an API, including scheduled and bulk assessment use cases. Its documented assessments target servers available on the public internet. The API is therefore useful for automating checks of externally reachable services, but it is not a way to inspect an internal-only endpoint from an outside network.
“SSL certificate checker API” can mean several different things. A TLS scan is broader than reading a certificate’s expiry date: it assesses server TLS behavior and protocol configuration. However, the available documentation does not establish a complete list of certificate-specific checks, such as revocation, hostname mismatch, or trust-chain validation, or guarantee particular response fields for every case. If one of those checks is a requirement, verify the current API schema and documentation rather than assuming it is included.
Scanning a server’s TLS versions means asking which protocol versions the endpoint supports. The testssl.sh manual documents protocol checks from SSLv2 and SSLv3 through TLS 1.3. That does not mean every protocol is enabled or that a result alone establishes the security of the whole deployment; interpret findings against your organization’s policy and current cryptographic guidance.
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Choose between the remote API and a local scanner
| Decision point | Qualys SSL Labs API | testssl.sh |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Assessment runs on Qualys servers. The target must be reachable on the public internet. Qualys SSL Labs API overview; API v4 documentation. | Runs as a command-line tool under the operator’s control. testssl.sh project. |
| Target scope | Public-internet servers, as described in the API documentation. | TLS-enabled services on web or other ports, including STARTTLS services, according to the project description and manual. Project; Manual. |
| Automation and output | HTTP/JSON API; supports scheduled and bulk assessment use cases. Check current API documentation for request limits and response details. | Command-line execution with machine-readable CSV and JSON output as well as HTML, according to the project page. |
| Commercial use | Free subject to restrictions; Qualys says commercial use is generally not allowed without explicit permission. API v4 documentation. | The cited project describes testssl.sh as free software. Review its current license and project terms for your intended use. |
Use SSL Labs when you want a centrally run assessment of an externally reachable server and an HTTP/JSON integration. Prefer a locally run scanner when you need control over where scanning occurs, need to examine a service on a nonstandard port or using STARTTLS, or cannot expose the target to a third-party scanner. A local scan’s perspective can differ from an external scan, so the result answers a different operational question.
How the SSL Labs API workflow works
The documented workflow is asynchronous. A client requests an assessment; the API may return an acceptable existing report when one is available, or start a new assessment. When a scan is running, the client polls for its completion. Build your integration around those states instead of treating the initial request as a guaranteed finished report.
- Choose a publicly reachable hostname. Confirm that the intended server is reachable from the public internet and that you are authorized to assess it.
- Request an assessment. Use the documented HTTP/JSON interface and the current API version and parameters specified in the SSL Labs API documentation. Do not rely on remembered parameter names or response fields; check the current schema.
- Handle the returned state. If an acceptable existing report is returned, process it according to the response. If an assessment has started or remains in progress, retain the relevant request context and poll as the documentation instructs.
- Stop polling when the assessment completes. Parse the final response and record the scan time and target alongside the result so later comparisons are meaningful.
- Schedule responsibly. The API overview describes scheduled and bulk assessment as supported use cases. Consult current limits and terms before setting polling intervals, concurrency, or scan frequency; the referenced materials do not establish fixed values for those settings.
Because the assessment is performed by Qualys servers, the scan request and target are handled remotely. Make that design choice explicit in privacy and security reviews. It also means an internal hostname or firewall-restricted server will not become scannable merely because your own application can reach it.
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Run testssl.sh locally
testssl.sh is a command-line alternative for checking TLS/SSL protocols, ciphers, and cryptographic weaknesses. It can produce machine-readable output for automation. Consult the project’s current installation instructions and manual for supported operating systems, invocation options, and the stable release available at the time you deploy it; those details can change.
A basic invocation against a TLS service is:
./testssl.sh example.comFor an alternate port, the manual documents specifying the target service and port; consult its current syntax before embedding the command in scripts:
./testssl.sh example.com:8443To feed results into a pipeline, choose the documented CSV or JSON output option for the installed version, then validate the emitted structure against that version’s documentation. Avoid building a long-lived parser around terminal-formatted text if machine-readable output is available. The project and manual are the sources for current command-line options: testssl.sh project and manual.
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Privacy, permissions, and operational considerations
Remote visibility
An SSL Labs assessment is not a local probe: Qualys servers perform it. The endpoint must be externally accessible, and you should assess whether submitting its hostname and assessment request is acceptable under your policies. A remote scanner cannot see the same network conditions or internal-only services as a scanner operating inside your environment.
Terms of use
Qualys’s API v4 documentation, attributed to Nauman Shah and last updated October 17, 2023, says commercial use is generally not allowed except with explicit permission. Free availability is not permission to embed the service in a commercial product. Confirm the current terms and obtain permission from Qualys before a commercial integration. The date is the documentation’s update date, not a claim that the terms have remained unchanged.
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- Use asynchronous state handling and polling rather than repeatedly starting new assessments while an earlier one is still running.
- Keep a record of target, assessment time, and the result needed for your own audit trail.
- Check current API limits, terms, and version details before choosing scan frequency or bulk behavior. The cited materials do not establish universal current rate-limit numbers.
- For local automation, pin and review the testssl.sh version you deploy, and validate machine-readable output when upgrading.
Common problems and how to resolve them
The API does not return a finished assessment immediately
This is expected for the documented asynchronous workflow. Check the response state and follow the polling instructions in the current API documentation. Also determine whether the response represents an existing acceptable report or a newly started assessment.
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The target cannot be assessed
First confirm that the hostname resolves and the service is reachable from the public internet. SSL Labs’ documented scope is public-internet servers. If the service is internal-only, choose a locally run scanner from a network with authorized access, such as testssl.sh.
A commercial application depends on the API
Do not infer commercial rights from the API being free. The API documentation says commercial use is generally not allowed without explicit permission. Confirm current terms and obtain that permission before relying on it in a commercial integration.
You need a result the documentation does not promise
Do not assume the API reports a particular certificate condition or exposes a particular field just because it performs SSL/TLS testing. Check the current response schema and verify that it covers the exact condition you need. The same principle applies to parsing testssl.sh output: use the format and fields documented for the installed release.
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Automation breaks after a tool update
For either option, version-aware parsing reduces surprises. Treat the current API documentation as authoritative for API versions and JSON structure; for testssl.sh, check the manual and project release information before changing the version in production.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server, not a TLS scanner; it does not replace either option above for inspecting certificates or supported TLS versions. If your workflow also needs website screenshots, its one-request API returns an image or PDF. The call below requests a WebP capture of the target URL; see the ScreenshotNeo documentation for API details.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie or consent banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each of those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and responses identify page verdict and billing status in headers. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for AI agents. The Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. See ScreenshotNeo for product details. Sign up free for 1,000 screenshots a month, with no card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can SSL Labs scan a server that is only reachable inside my network?
No. Its documented API assessments target servers available on the public internet; use an authorized local scanner for internal-only services.
Does a TLS scan API automatically prove a certificate is valid for every client?
Not based on the available API documentation alone. Check the current schema for the specific certificate-validation checks and fields your use case requires.
Is ScreenshotNeo an SSL certificate checker?
No. ScreenshotNeo captures webpages as images or PDFs; it is not a TLS configuration scanner.
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