How to set up a reverse proxy with Caddy?

Use the `reverse_proxy` directive in the Caddyfile; it automatically handles WebSockets and load balancing. For advanced options like health checks, refer to the official documentation on reverse proxying.

Caddy vs NGINX: which is better for production?

Caddy excels in automatic HTTPS and easier configuration with dynamic updates, while NGINX has a larger ecosystem and more fine-tuning options for high-performance scenarios. Choose Caddy for security automation or NGINX for legacy compatibility.

Does Caddy support WebSocket connections out of the box?

Yes, Caddy supports WebSocket proxying automatically when using the reverse proxy directive, with no extra configuration needed for most use cases.

How to force TLS certificate renewal in Caddy?

Caddy handles renewals automatically, but you can trigger a manual renewal via the admin API or by deleting the certificate storage files, after which Caddy will fetch new certificates.

Can Caddy run in a Docker container effectively?

Yes, Caddy has official Docker images and is well-suited for containers due to its single binary nature, making it easy to deploy in orchestrated environments like Kubernetes.

How to add custom plugins when building Caddy from source?

Use xcaddy to compile Caddy with plugins by importing them in a custom main.go file, as described in the README, which automates the process but requires Go toolchain setup.

Open-Awesome

Caddy

Apache-2.0Gov2.11.4Self-Hosted

Fast and extensible multi-platform HTTP/1-2-3 web server with automatic HTTPS by default.

Visit Website GitHub

73.2k stars4.8k forks0 contributors

What is Caddy?

Caddy is an extensible server platform written in Go, designed to make HTTPS the default for every site. It simplifies web serving by automatically handling TLS certificates and providing a unified configuration system, making secure deployments more accessible and reliable.

Target Audience

Developers and system administrators who need a production-ready web server with automatic HTTPS, especially those managing multiple sites or seeking a simpler alternative to NGINX or Apache.

Value Proposition

Caddy stands out by enforcing HTTPS by default with automatic certificate management from ZeroSSL and Let's Encrypt, offering a unified JSON API for dynamic configuration, and running as a single binary with no external dependencies.

Overview

Fast and extensible multi-platform HTTP/1-2-3 web server with automatic HTTPS

Use Cases

Best For

Automating TLS certificate provisioning and renewal for public websites without manual intervention.
Serving HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, and HTTP/3 simultaneously from a single server instance.
Managing web server configurations dynamically via a JSON API instead of static config files.
Deploying a lightweight, dependency-free web server across diverse environments, including those without libc.
Scaling to hundreds of thousands of sites with a proven track record in high-traffic production environments.
Extending server functionality through a modular plugin architecture without bloating the core binary.

Not Ideal For

Environments mandating custom TLS certificate authorities not supported by ZeroSSL or Let's Encrypt
Teams with extensive, complex NGINX configurations who prefer not to migrate to Caddyfile or JSON
Ultra-low-resource embedded systems where the Go runtime overhead is prohibitive compared to lighter binaries
Projects needing built-in server-side scripting like PHP execution without proxying to a separate backend

Pros & Cons

Pros

Automatic HTTPS Enforcement

Caddy automatically obtains and renews TLS certificates from ZeroSSL and Let's Encrypt for public names, with a local CA for internal ones, eliminating manual cert management.

Unified Configuration API

Dynamic config changes via a native JSON API allow real-time updates without restarts, reducing downtime and hidden variables compared to static file configurations.

Single Binary Deployment

Runs as a self-contained executable with no external dependencies, not even libc, simplifying installation and portability across diverse environments.

Modern Protocol Support

Serves HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, and HTTP/3 simultaneously by default, ensuring compatibility with the latest web standards out of the box.

Cons

Complex JSON Configuration

The native JSON config, while powerful, can be verbose and less intuitive than traditional configs like NGINX's, requiring a steeper learning curve for advanced use cases.

Plugin Compilation Overhead

Adding functionality often requires compiling with plugins via xcaddy, which adds steps compared to drop-in modules in servers like Apache or NGINX.

Limited Built-in Execution

Caddy focuses on serving and proxying, so it lacks native support for server-side scripting languages, forcing reliance on separate backend applications for dynamic content.

Open Source Alternative To

Caddy is an open-source alternative to the following products:

nginx

Apache HTTP Server

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

minio

MinIO is a high-performance, S3 compatible object store, open sourced under GNU AGPLv3 license.

Stars61,208

Forks7,564

Last commit1 month ago

etcd

Distributed reliable key-value store for the most critical data of a distributed system

Full-featured and highly configurable SFTP, HTTP/S, FTP/S and WebDAV server - S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob

Stars12,137

Forks926

Last commit8 days ago

RoadRunner

🤯 High-performance PHP application server, process manager written in Go and powered with plugins

Stars8,470

Forks425

Last commit14 days ago

Community-curated · Updated weekly · 100% open source

Found a gem we're missing?

Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.

Submit a project Star on GitHub