How to Self-Host Caddy
Caddy modern web server and reverse proxy with automatic HTTPS, simple configuration, extensible modules, and production-ready defaults. It was added to SelfHub after appearing in What I Self-Host, What I Don't, and Why; the product facts below were checked against the project's official site and source repository.
When Caddy is a good fit
Choose Caddy when you want this capability on infrastructure you control and are prepared to own updates, access control, monitoring, and recovery. Review the upstream documentation before selecting a version because deployment requirements can change between releases.
Deployment notes
Install the official package or container, define sites in a Caddyfile, and persist both the data and configuration directories so certificates survive restarts.
Place any browser-accessible interface behind HTTPS. Pin a release rather than an unqualified latest tag, apply updates deliberately, and keep the service reachable only from the networks and users that need it.
Data and recovery
Version the Caddyfile and back up Caddy data when certificate state or internal PKI material matters to recovery.
Write down the restore sequence, required secrets, exposed ports, and external dependencies. A scheduled backup is not complete until a clean host can restore it and pass a functional check.
Important limitation
Automatic HTTPS still requires correct DNS and reachable challenge ports; validate the configuration before every reload.
Production checklist
- Pin and record the deployed version.
- Persist every documented data and configuration path.
- Terminate TLS at a maintained reverse proxy or trusted tunnel.
- Restrict administrative interfaces and rotate default credentials.
- Monitor uptime, disk space, certificate expiry, and failed jobs.
- Test an off-host backup with a real restore.
