Couchbase provides multiple methods for authentication and authorization to its N1QL query service, including credentials passed through REST requests, basic authentication, and X.509 certificates for enhanced encryption and server authentication. The article details the setup of X.509 certificates, which involve a hierarchical public key infrastructure (PKI) with root, intermediate, and node certificates, to ensure secure communication between clients and servers. It explains the process of generating these certificates using OpenSSL and stresses the importance of a validated certificate chain to establish trust. The guide also highlights the implementation of X.509 certificates within Couchbase clusters, emphasizing the necessary steps and considerations for deploying certificates on servers to maintain secure client-server communication. Additionally, it underlines the use of certificates in N1QL queries and via the cbq shell, ensuring secure data transfers in compliance with required standards.