Caddy
Modern web server with automatic HTTPS by default and simple declarative configuration
Guides · How to Choose
How to Choose a Proxy / Web Server Tool
Choosing the right proxy / web server tool depends on your project type, team experience, and long-term requirements. The options below cover the full range from beginner-friendly to enterprise-grade.
Key questions to ask
- ? Open source vs managed — who handles security patches and uptime?
- ? Pricing model — does it stay affordable as you scale?
- ? Learning curve — does your team already know this technology?
- ? Community and ecosystem — are there answers on Stack Overflow and maintained libraries?
Compare 4 proxy / web server options
| Tool | Pricing | Learning Curve | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caddy | Free / Open Source | Automatic HTTPS, simple static hosting, reverse proxy with minimal config | |
| HAProxy | Free / Open Source (Enterprise paid) | High-availability load balancing, TCP proxying, advanced health checks | |
 NGINX | Free / Open Source | Reverse proxying, load balancing, TLS termination | |
 Traefik | Free / Open Source (Enterprise paid) | Kubernetes ingress, Docker-based routing, automatic TLS, microservices |
All Proxy / Web Server tools
HAProxy
High-availability load balancer and proxy server optimized for TCP and HTTP traffic
NGINX
High-performance web server and reverse proxy widely used in production infrastructure
Traefik
Cloud-native reverse proxy and load balancer with automatic service discovery and Let's Encrypt integration