caddy-website/src/docs/markdown/install.md

title
Install

Install

This page describes various methods for installing Caddy on your system.

Official:

• Static binaries
• Debian, Ubuntu, Raspbian
• Fedora, RedHat, CentOS
• Arch Linux, Manjaro, Parabola
• Docker
• DigitalOcean
• Linux service

Our official packages come only with the standard modules. If you need third-party plugins, build from source with xcaddy or use our download page.

Community-maintained:

• Homebrew
• Webi
• Chocolatey
• Ansible

Static binaries

Simply downloading a Caddy binary does not install it as a service, but can be useful in dev or when upgrading an existing installation.

• View releases on GitHub (expand "Assets")
• Use our download page

Debian, Ubuntu, Raspbian

Installing this package automatically starts and runs Caddy for you as a systemd service named caddy using our official caddy.service unit file.

This package also comes with a caddy-api systemd service using our official caddy-api.service unit file, which is disabled by default. If you plan to configure Caddy solely through its API, then you should disable the caddy service, and enable the caddy-api service.

Stable releases:

sudo apt install -y debian-keyring debian-archive-keyring apt-transport-https
curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/caddy/stable/gpg.key' | sudo apt-key add -
curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/caddy/stable/debian.deb.txt' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/caddy-stable.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install caddy

Testing releases (includes betas and release candidates):

sudo apt install -y debian-keyring debian-archive-keyring apt-transport-https
curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/caddy/testing/gpg.key' | sudo apt-key add -
curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/caddy/testing/debian.deb.txt' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/caddy-testing.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install caddy

View the Cloudsmith repos

Fedora, RedHat, CentOS

Fedora or RHEL/CentOS 8:

dnf install 'dnf-command(copr)'
dnf copr enable @caddy/caddy
dnf install caddy

RHEL/CentOS 7:

yum install yum-plugin-copr
yum copr enable @caddy/caddy
yum install caddy

View the Caddy COPR

Arch Linux, Manjaro, Parabola

pacman -Syu caddy

View Caddy in the Arch Linux repositories

Docker

docker pull caddy

View on Docker Hub

DigitalOcean

Deploy a Caddy droplet on DigitalOcean

Linux service

Manually install Caddy as a service on Linux with these instructions.

Requirements:

• caddy binary that you downloaded or built from source
• systemctl --version 232 or newer
• sudo privileges

Move the caddy binary into your $PATH, for example:

sudo mv caddy /usr/bin/

Test that it worked:

caddy version

Create a group named caddy:

sudo groupadd --system caddy

Create a user named caddy, with a writeable home folder:

sudo useradd --system \
    --gid caddy \
    --create-home \
    --home-dir /var/lib/caddy \
    --shell /usr/sbin/nologin \
    --comment "Caddy web server" \
    caddy

If using a config file, be sure it is readable by the caddy user you just created.

Next, choose a systemd service file based on your use case:

• caddy.service if you configure Caddy with a file.
• caddy-api.service if you configure Caddy solely through its API.

They are very similar but have minor differences in the ExecStart and ExecReload commands to accommodate your workflow. Customize the file accordingly.

Double-check the ExecStart and ExecReload directives. Make sure the binary's location and command line arguments are correct for your installation! For example: if using a config file, change your --config path if it is different from our example.

The usual place to save the service file is: /etc/systemd/system/caddy.service

After saving your service file, you can start the service for the first time with the usual systemctl dance:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable caddy
sudo systemctl start caddy

Verify that it is running:

systemctl status caddy

When running with our official service file, Caddy's output will be redirected to journalctl:

journalctl -u caddy --no-pager | less

If using a config file, you can gracefully apply any changes:

sudo systemctl reload caddy

You can stop the service with:

sudo systemctl stop caddy

Do not stop the service to change Caddy's configuration. Stopping the server will incur downtime. Use the reload command instead.

Homebrew

Note: This is a community-maintained installation method.

brew install caddy

View the Homebrew formula

Webi

Note: This is a community-maintained installation method.

Linux and macOS:

curl -sS https://webinstall.dev/caddy | bash

Windows:

curl.exe -A MS https://webinstall.dev/caddy | powershell

You may need to adjust the Windows firewall rules to allow non-localhost incoming connections.

View on Webi

Chocolatey

Note: This is a community-maintained installation method.

choco install caddy

View the Chocolatey package

Ansible

Note: This is a community-maintained installation method.

ansible-galaxy install nvjacobo.caddy

View the Ansible role repository