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How do cantaloupes and honeydew melons show that they are ripe?

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A pile of freshly harvested pumpkins and gourds in various shapes, with striped patterns in shades of yellow, orange, and green. — Cucurbitales Pumpkins and gourds, order Cucurbitales.

Cantaloupes and honeydew melons exhibit different signs of ripeness based on their specific variety:

Cantaloupes: These melons are considered ripe when they emit a sweet, fruity odor. At this stage, they will "slip," or break away readily, from the stalk at the point where the fruit and vine are joined.1
Honeydew Melons: These are categorized as winter melons and show they are ripe when their skin turns yellow. Unlike cantaloupes, they do not slip from the vine and must be cut off when harvested.1

Honeydew melons are known to mature slowly in storage, becoming softer over several weeks, though they do not typically become noticeably sweeter during this process.1