Apache APISIX vs Caddy
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted reverse proxy & gateways options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Apache APISIX
Dynamic, real-time, high-performance API gateway
VS
Caddy
Fast, multi-platform web server with automatic HTTPS
| Feature | Apache APISIX | Caddy |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reverse Proxy & Gateways | Reverse Proxy & Gateways |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Lua | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,968 | ★ 74,748 |
| First released | 2019 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Kong, AWS API Gateway | Nginx, Apache |
Why pick each one
Choose Apache APISIX if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 17k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache APISIX or Caddy better?
Caddy is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Apache APISIX if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Apache APISIX and Caddy free and open-source?
Yes. Apache APISIX is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Caddy under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache APISIX and Caddy with Docker?
Apache APISIX: yes. Caddy: yes.