Caddy

Self-Hosted

Modern, automatic HTTPS web server

Overview

Caddy is a powerful open-source web server focused on simplicity and security. It automatically manages HTTPS certificates via Let's Encrypt (no manual setup), supports HTTP/2 and HTTP/3, and handles reverse proxying, static file serving, and more. Deployable via Docker, precompiled binaries, or package managers, it uses a human-friendly Caddyfile (or JSON for advanced use). Ideal for self-hosters, developers, and small businesses needing low-maintenance, secure web serving.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  caddy:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: caddy
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Automatic HTTPS (Let's Encrypt integration)
HTTP/3 & HTTP/2 support
Simple Caddyfile configuration
Reverse proxy & static file serving

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Caddy hard to install?

No—Caddy can be installed via Docker, precompiled binaries, package managers (apt, brew), or as a service. For most users, downloading the binary or using Docker is straightforward with minimal setup steps.

? Is it a good alternative to Nginx or Apache?

Yes—Caddy excels at automatic HTTPS and simplicity, making it ideal for users avoiding manual SSL work. While Nginx/Apache have more niche advanced features, Caddy works great for static sites, reverse proxies, and API servers.

? Is it completely free?

Yes—Caddy's core is open source (Apache 2.0 license) and free to use. Paid enterprise features exist (like Caddy Enterprise for support), but the self-hosted version includes all essential features for free.

Top Alternatives

IIS (Microsoft's proprietary web server) Search Google

NGINX Plus (proprietary NGINX) Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Open Source

Category Web Servers

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused (no telemetry)
⊕ No manual SSL setup
⊕ Easy installation & configuration

Cons

⊖ Less niche documentation than Apache/Nginx
⊖ Advanced features require JSON config
⊖ Smaller community than older web servers