Caddy

Web Server/Reverse Proxy C DevOps & Hardware

Basic Information

Product Description

Caddy is a modern open-source web server, with its core feature being "zero-configuration automatic HTTPS." Caddy enables HTTPS by default, automatically obtaining and renewing SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt or ZeroSSL without any manual configuration. Compared to Nginx and Apache, which require installing certbot and writing renewal scripts, Caddy makes SSL management completely transparent. Its concise Caddyfile configuration syntax and single statically compiled binary make it the easiest-to-use web server/reverse proxy.

Core Features/Characteristics

  • Zero-configuration automatic HTTPS (Let's Encrypt + ZeroSSL)
  • Automatic certificate renewal (renews 30 days before expiration)
  • Supports HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, and HTTP/3
  • Concise Caddyfile configuration syntax
  • Built-in load balancing
  • REST API supports real-time configuration changes (no restart required)
  • Single statically compiled binary with no runtime dependencies
  • Multi-ACME provider automatic failover

Pricing

  • Completely free and open-source (Apache 2.0 License)

Configuration Example

example.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:8080
}

Just 3 lines to implement a reverse proxy with HTTPS.

Target Users

  • OpenClaw self-hosting users needing the simplest HTTPS configuration
  • Individual users who don't want to manage SSL certificates
  • HomeLab users requiring a reverse proxy
  • Developers who prefer concise configurations

Competitive Advantages

  • Automatic HTTPS is the biggest differentiator: zero configuration, zero maintenance
  • Extremely simple configuration files, just a few lines needed
  • Single binary deployment with no dependencies
  • REST API supports dynamic configuration
  • Multi-ACME provider automatic failover ensures certificate availability

Relationship with the OpenClaw Ecosystem

Caddy is the simplest solution for providing HTTPS reverse proxy for self-hosted OpenClaw. With just a few lines of Caddyfile configuration, it can provide automatic HTTPS support for the OpenClaw web interface. Caddy's automatic certificate management eliminates the operational burden of SSL maintenance. For individual users who want to securely access OpenClaw services via a domain name, Caddy offers the lowest configuration barrier and the highest security.

Information Sources

External References

Learn more from these authoritative sources: