Caddy

Caddy is a modern web server that prioritizes security and ease of use. With automatic HTTPS as a core feature, it eliminates the complexity of SSL certificate management while providing powerful reverse proxy capabilities and a simple configuration syntax that makes web server administration accessible to developers and system administrators alike.

Key Features

• Automatic HTTPS:

  • Automatic SSL certificate provisioning
  • Let's Encrypt integration out of the box
  • Automatic certificate renewal
  • ACME protocol support for various CAs
  • Custom certificate authority support
  • Zero-configuration SSL for most use cases

• Modern Protocol Support:

  • Full HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 support
  • HTTP/3 (QUIC) protocol implementation
  • WebSocket proxying and handling
  • gRPC service proxying
  • Server-Sent Events (SSE) support
  • Protocol upgrade handling

• Powerful Reverse Proxy:

  • Intelligent load balancing algorithms
  • Active and passive health checks
  • Circuit breaker pattern implementation
  • Automatic retry with backoff
  • Request routing and rewriting
  • Upstream failover handling

• Simple Configuration:

  • Human-readable Caddyfile format
  • JSON configuration support
  • RESTful admin API
  • Hot configuration reloading
  • Zero-downtime configuration updates
  • Environment variable integration

• Performance Optimization:

  • HTTP/2 server push capabilities
  • Built-in compression (gzip, zstd, brotli)
  • Efficient static file serving
  • Automatic cache headers
  • Connection pooling and reuse
  • Memory-efficient request handling

• Security Features:

  • Security headers by default
  • Rate limiting and throttling
  • IP-based access control
  • Basic and JWT authentication
  • Authorization middleware
  • Request sanitization

• Plugin Ecosystem:

  • Modular plugin architecture
  • Community-contributed plugins
  • Custom plugin development
  • Runtime plugin loading
  • Plugin marketplace
  • Enterprise plugin support

Technical Specifications

• Language: Go
• Protocols: HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, HTTP/3, WebSocket
• Platforms: Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD
• License: Apache-2.0
• Package Formats: Binary, deb, rpm, Docker
• Configuration: Caddyfile, JSON, API

Use Cases

• Static Websites: Simple static site hosting with automatic HTTPS
• Reverse Proxy: Load balancing and proxying to backend services
• API Gateway: API routing and management
• Development Servers: Local development with HTTPS
• Microservices: Service mesh and inter-service communication
• Content Delivery: Fast static content serving

Unique Advantages

• Zero-Config HTTPS: Automatic SSL certificates without manual intervention
• Simple Configuration: Human-readable configuration format
• Modern Architecture: Built with Go for performance and reliability
• Security by Default: Secure defaults and automatic security features
• Single Binary: Easy deployment with no external dependencies
• Active Development: Regular updates and feature additions

Based on the Caddy GitHub repository, this tool revolutionizes web server administration by making HTTPS automatic and configuration simple, making it ideal for developers and organizations who want a modern, secure web server without the complexity of traditional solutions.