Apache HTTP Server vs Sozu
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted reverse proxy & gateways options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Apache HTTP Server | Sozu |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 88 · Excellent |
| Category | Reverse Proxy & Gateways | Reverse Proxy & Gateways |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,038 | ★ 3,734 |
| First released | 1995 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Nginx, IIS | HAProxy, Nginx |
What are Apache HTTP Server and Sozu?
Apache HTTP Server
The Apache HTTP Server is a powerful, flexible open-source web server that can also act as a reverse proxy and load balancer through its mod_proxy modules. It has decades of stability.
- Mature reverse proxy
- Extensive module system
- Per-directory configuration
- Cross-platform
Sozu
Sozu is an open-source HTTP reverse proxy written in Rust that can be reconfigured at runtime without dropping connections. It is built for safety and zero-downtime configuration changes.
- Hot configuration reload
- Memory-safe Rust core
- Zero-downtime changes
- Runtime control API
Apache HTTP Server vs Sozu: key differences
Apache HTTP Server is written in C, while Sozu is built with Rust. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Apache HTTP Server versus AGPL-3.0 for Sozu. Apache HTTP Server is the more established project (first released 1995), while Sozu arrived in 2016.
Why pick each one
Choose Apache HTTP Server if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
Choose Sozu if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in Rust
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache HTTP Server or Sozu better?
Apache HTTP Server is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Sozu if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Apache HTTP Server and Sozu free and open-source?
Yes. Apache HTTP Server is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Sozu under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache HTTP Server and Sozu with Docker?
Apache HTTP Server: yes. Sozu: yes.