caddy

Alternative to Nginx Plus

A production-ready web server with automatic HTTPS and simple configuration

76k 5.0k357 HN points

Apache-2.0

last commit 2026-03-06

acme automatic-https caddy caddyfile go golang http http-server http3 https

Website Source

About

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

Languages

Go98.1%HTML1.9%Shell0%

Contributors30

1193

385

168

11+16

Are you still manually managing SSL certificates and fighting with complex web server configurations?

“Caddy: The intuitive web server with automatic HTTPS, HTTP/3 support, and a remarkably simple configuration, perfect for modern deployments.”

The Essence

Caddy is a robust, open-source web server written in Go, offering multi-platform support. It's distinguished by its unique capability to automatically provision and renew TLS certificates for secure HTTPS connections, making web security effortless.

Capabilities

Caddy simplifies web serving by automating certificate management, handling various HTTP protocols (including HTTP/3), and functioning as a versatile reverse proxy and load balancer. This reduces operational overhead and significantly speeds up deployment cycles for developers.

Replaces

Caddy serves as a powerful, modern alternative to traditional web servers like Nginx, Apache HTTP Server, or even specific reverse proxy solutions. It particularly excels for users who prioritize ease of configuration and built-in, automated security features over manual, intricate setups.

Editor's Highlights

Automatic HTTPS and TLS certificate management
HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, and HTTP/3 support
Simple and human-readable Caddyfile configuration
Powerful reverse proxy and load balancing capabilities
Cross-platform compatibility and easy deployment

How It Compares

Alternative	Main Strength	Main Weakness
Nginx	Extremely high performance and flexibility, extensive module ecosystem.	Configuration can be complex and verbose, manual SSL certificate management.
Apache HTTP Server	Highly mature and widely adopted, vast community support and modules.	Can be resource-intensive, configuration is less modern, no built-in automatic HTTPS.
Traefik	Dynamic configuration, ideal for microservices and containerized environments.	More focused on API Gateway/Edge Router use cases, can be overkill for simple static site hosting.

Bottom Line:“Caddy stands out by offering unparalleled simplicity and automated security, making it the ideal choice for modern web infrastructure without sacrificing performance or flexibility.”

AJ BatacEditor

Comments Theme