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Cloud · head to head

Caddy vs SolidStart

Caddy logo

Caddy

Cloud

Web server with automatic HTTPS by default

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SolidStart logo

SolidStart

Web Development

Full-stack meta-framework for SolidJS with fine-grained reactivity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Caddy smaller ecosystem than Nginx, so third-party guides and modules are fewer; SolidStart smaller ecosystem compared to Next.js or Remix due to relative newness
  • They diverge on capability: Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, SolidStart covers Fine-grained reactivity.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Caddy and SolidStart actually diverge.

Attributes where Caddy and SolidStart differ
AttributeCaddySolidStart
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, DockerWeb
CategoryCloudWeb Development

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Caddy

  • Automatic HTTPS
  • Caddyfile
  • Reverse proxy
  • Single binary

Only in SolidStart

  • Fine-grained reactivity
  • Server actions
  • Single-flight mutations
  • Request deduplication
  • Multi-router support
  • Automatic API generation
  • Vite integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Caddy

  • Sites and services where expired certificates have caused outages beforenot SolidStart
  • Small deployments where Nginx configuration is more effort than the problem warrantsnot SolidStart
  • Reverse proxying internal services with TLS without a certificate workflownot SolidStart

SolidStart

  • Building lightweight full-stack applications with minimal runtime overheadnot Caddy
  • Projects requiring fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency trackingnot Caddy
  • Applications targeting multiple deployment platforms with single codebasenot Caddy
  • Teams prioritizing performance and small bundle sizesnot Caddy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Caddy

  • Smaller ecosystem than Nginx, so third-party guides and modules are fewer
  • Adding plugins means rebuilding the binary rather than loading a module
  • Under very high throughput Nginx generally still benchmarks ahead
  • Automatic certificate issuance needs outbound internet access, which complicates air-gapped deployments

SolidStart

  • Smaller ecosystem compared to Next.js or Remix due to relative newness
  • SolidJS less familiar to developers with React experience
  • Community documentation not as extensive as larger frameworks
  • Limited third-party UI component libraries compared to React ecosystem

Pricing, plan by plan

Caddy

Free
  • CaddyFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

SolidStart

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SolidStart review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Caddy if

  • You need automatic https.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
  • You also want caddyfile.
Caddy review

Choose SolidStart if

  • You need fine-grained reactivity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want server actions.
SolidStart review

Questions people ask

Is Caddy or SolidStart better?
Neither clearly leads. Caddy starts at Free and SolidStart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Caddy or SolidStart?
Caddy starts at Free and SolidStart at Free.
Does Caddy or SolidStart run on more platforms?
Caddy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker. SolidStart runs on Web.
Can I use Caddy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Caddy best used for?
Caddy is most often used for sites and services where expired certificates have caused outages before, small deployments where nginx configuration is more effort than the problem warrants, reverse proxying internal services with tls without a certificate workflow. Of those, sites and services where expired certificates have caused outages before and small deployments where nginx configuration is more effort than the problem warrants are not what SolidStart is typically brought in for.
What can Caddy do that SolidStart cannot?
Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, Caddyfile, Reverse proxy, Single binary. SolidStart covers Fine-grained reactivity, Server actions, Single-flight mutations, Request deduplication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Caddy: Is Caddy free?

Yes, open source under the Apache 2.0 licence, free for commercial use.

SolidStart: What is SolidJS and how does it differ from React?

SolidJS uses fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency tracking instead of React's virtual DOM, resulting in smaller bundles and better performance.

Source
Caddy: What does automatic HTTPS mean?

Caddy obtains certificates from Let’s Encrypt or ZeroSSL on first request and renews them before expiry, with no cron job or configuration.

SolidStart: How many deployment platforms does SolidStart support?

SolidStart supports over 20 deployment platforms including Cloudflare, Netlify, Vercel, Deno, AWS, and Azure through Vite plugins.

Source
Caddy: Caddy or Nginx?

Caddy is dramatically simpler to configure and removes certificate management. Nginx has the larger ecosystem and better peak throughput.

SolidStart: Can I use TanStack Router with SolidStart?

Yes, SolidStart supports using either the official Solid Router or TanStack Router depending on project requirements.

Source
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