Skip to main content

Setting Up NSSM for Caddy on Windows

Overview​

NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) is a powerful Windows service wrapper that allows you to run any executable as a Windows service. This guide provides comprehensive instructions for setting up Caddy web server as a Windows service using NSSM, ensuring automatic startup, proper logging, and professional service management.

Why Use NSSM with Caddy?​

  • Automatic Startup: Caddy starts automatically when Windows boots
  • Service Management: Full integration with Windows Service Manager
  • Crash Recovery: Automatic restart on failure
  • Logging: Centralized logging and monitoring
  • Security: Run with specific user accounts and permissions
  • Professional Deployment: Enterprise-ready service configuration

Prerequisites​

Before beginning the installation, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

System Requirements​

  • Operating System: Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016+
  • Architecture: x64 (64-bit) recommended
  • RAM: Minimum 512MB available
  • Disk Space: At least 50MB free space
  • User Account: Administrator privileges required for installation

Required Software​

  • Caddy: Already installed and configured (Installation Guide)
  • PowerShell: Version 5.1 or later (included with Windows)
  • Windows Service Manager: Built into Windows

Network Requirements​

  • Ports 80 and 443: Available for HTTP/HTTPS traffic
  • Firewall: Configured to allow Caddy traffic
  • Domain/DNS: Properly configured for your services

Installation Process​

Step 1: Download and Install NSSM​

Download NSSM​

  1. Visit the official NSSM website: nssm.cc
  2. Download the latest version: NSSM 2.24 (Latest)
  3. Verify the download: Check file integrity if security is a concern

Extract and Install NSSM​

  1. Extract the ZIP file to a permanent location:

    Recommended location: C:\Tools\NSSM\

  2. Choose the correct architecture:

    • For 64-bit Windows: Use nssm.exe from the win64 folder
    • For 32-bit Windows: Use nssm.exe from the win32 folder

  3. Copy NSSM to system location: Copy to Windows system directory (requires admin)

    Copy-Item "C:\Tools\NSSM\win64\nssm.exe" "C:\Windows\System32\"

Step 2: Configure Environment Variables​

Add both Caddy and NSSM to your system PATH for easy command-line access.

Method 1: Using System Properties (GUI)​

  1. Open System Properties:

    • Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, press Enter
    • Click "Advanced" tab → "Environment Variables"

  2. Edit System PATH:

    • Select "Path" under "System variables"
    • Click "Edit" → "New"
    • Add your Caddy directory (e.g., C:\Tools\Caddy)
    • Add your NSSM directory (e.g., C:\Tools\NSSM\win64)

Method 2: Using PowerShell (Command Line)​

Add Caddy to PATH (replace with your actual path)

$env:PATH += ";C:\Tools\Caddy"

Add NSSM to PATH (replace with your actual path)

$env:PATH += ";C:\Tools\NSSM\win64"

Make changes permanent (requires admin)

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", $env:PATH, [EnvironmentVariableTarget]::Machine)

Verify Installation​

Test NSSM installation

nssm version

Test Caddy installation

caddy version

Step 3: Prepare Caddy Configuration​

Before creating the service, ensure your Caddy configuration is ready.

Verify Caddy Setup​

  1. Test Caddy configuration: Navigate to your Caddy directory

    cd C:\Tools\Caddy

    Validate Caddyfile syntax

    caddy validate --config Caddyfile

    Test Caddy startup (stop with Ctrl+C)

    caddy run --config Caddyfile

  2. Ensure proper file structure:

    C:\Tools\Caddy\
    ├── caddy.exe
    ├── Caddyfile
    └── logs\ (optional, for custom logging)

Service Configuration​

Step 4: Create the Windows Service​

Open Administrative PowerShell​

  1. Right-click Start button → "Windows PowerShell (Admin)"
  2. Or use Run dialog: Press Win + R, type powershell, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter

Install the Service​

Create the Caddy service

nssm install Caddy

This command opens the NSSM Service Installer GUI.

Step 5: Configure Service Parameters​

Application Tab Configuration​

Configure the following fields in the NSSM GUI:

  1. Path: Full path to Caddy executable

    Example: C:\Tools\Caddy\caddy.exe

  2. Startup directory: Directory containing your Caddyfile

    Example: C:\Tools\Caddy

  3. Arguments: Command-line arguments for Caddy

    Recommended: run --config Caddyfile

  4. Service name: Keep as "Caddy" or customize as needed

Details Tab Configuration (Optional)​

  • Display name: "Caddy Web Server"
  • Description: "Caddy HTTP/2 web server with automatic HTTPS"
  • Startup type: "Automatic" (recommended)

Log on Tab Configuration (Advanced)​

For enhanced security, consider running under a specific service account:

  • Local System account: Default, highest privileges
  • Network Service: Reduced privileges, recommended for web servers
  • Specific user: Custom service account (advanced)

Process Tab Configuration (Advanced)​

  • Console window: Unchecked (runs as background service)
  • Priority: "Normal" (default)

Step 6: Advanced Service Configuration​

I/O Tab - Logging Configuration​

Configure logging for monitoring and troubleshooting:

  1. Output (stdout):

    C:\Tools\Caddy\logs\caddy-output.log

  2. Error (stderr):

    C:\Tools\Caddy\logs\caddy-error.log

  3. Input (stdin): Leave empty

File rotation Tab​

  • Replace existing Output/Error files: Checked
  • Rotate files: Checked (recommended)
  • Restrict rotation: Set size limit (e.g., 10MB)

Environment Tab (Optional)​

Add environment variables if needed:

CADDY_ADMIN=localhost:2019
CADDY_LOG_LEVEL=INFO

Step 7: Install and Start the Service​

  1. Click "Install service" in the NSSM GUI

  2. Verify installation: Check if service was created

    Get-Service -Name Caddy

  3. Start the service: Start Caddy service

    nssm start Caddy

    Alternative using Windows Service Manager

    Start-Service -Name Caddy

  4. Verify service status: Check service status

    nssm status Caddy

    Detailed service information

    Get-Service -Name Caddy | Format-List *

Service Management​

Essential Service Commands​

NSSM Commands​

Start the service

nssm start Caddy

Stop the service

nssm stop Caddy

Restart the service

nssm restart Caddy

Check service status

nssm status Caddy

Remove the service (stops first if running)

nssm remove Caddy confirm

Windows Service Commands​

Start service

Start-Service -Name Caddy

Stop service

Stop-Service -Name Caddy

Restart service

Restart-Service -Name Caddy

Get service status

Get-Service -Name Caddy

Get detailed service information

Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Service -Filter "Name='Caddy'"

Service Configuration Management​

Edit service configuration

nssm edit Caddy

Get service configuration

nssm get Caddy Application
nssm get Caddy Parameters
nssm get Caddy AppDirectory

Set service parameters

nssm set Caddy Application "C:\Tools\Caddy\caddy.exe"
nssm set Caddy Parameters "run --config Caddyfile"
nssm set Caddy AppDirectory "C:\Tools\Caddy"

Monitoring and Logging​

View Service Logs​

View recent output logs

Get-Content "C:\Tools\Caddy\logs\caddy-output.log" -Tail 50

Monitor logs in real-time

Get-Content "C:\Tools\Caddy\logs\caddy-output.log" -Wait

View error logs

Get-Content "C:\Tools\Caddy\logs\caddy-error.log" -Tail 20

Windows Event Viewer​

  1. Open Event Viewer: eventvwr.msc
  2. Navigate to: Windows Logs → System
  3. Filter by source: Look for "Service Control Manager" events
  4. Search for: Events related to "Caddy" service

Service Status Monitoring​

Create a monitoring script

$serviceName = "Caddy"
$service = Get-Service -Name $serviceName

if ($service.Status -eq "Running") {
    Write-Host "✅ $serviceName is running" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "❌ $serviceName is not running" -ForegroundColor Red
    Write-Host "Status: $($service.Status)"
}

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues and Solutions​

Issue 1: Service Won't Start​

Symptoms:

  • Service shows "Stopped" status
  • Error messages in Event Viewer
  • Caddy doesn't respond to requests

Diagnostic Commands: Check service status

nssm status Caddy

View service configuration

nssm get Caddy Application
nssm get Caddy Parameters

Check Windows Event Logs

Get-EventLog -LogName System -Source "Service Control Manager" -Newest 10 | Where-Object {$_.Message -like "*Caddy*"}

Common Solutions:

  1. Verify file paths: Check if Caddy executable exists

    Test-Path "C:\Tools\Caddy\caddy.exe"

    Check if Caddyfile exists

    Test-Path "C:\Tools\Caddy\Caddyfile"

  2. Validate Caddy configuration:

    cd C:\Tools\Caddy
    caddy validate --config Caddyfile

  3. Check permissions: Ensure NSSM service has access to Caddy directory

    icacls "C:\Tools\Caddy" /grant "NETWORK SERVICE:(OI)(CI)F"

Issue 2: Service Starts but Caddy Doesn't Work​

Diagnostic Steps: Check if Caddy is listening on ports

netstat -an | findstr ":80"
netstat -an | findstr ":443"

Test Caddy directly

cd C:\Tools\Caddy
caddy run --config Caddyfile

Solutions:

  1. Firewall configuration:

    Allow Caddy through Windows Firewall

    New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Caddy HTTP" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 80 -Action Allow
    New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Caddy HTTPS" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 443 -Action Allow

  2. Port conflicts: Check what's using port 80

    netstat -ano | findstr ":80"

    Stop IIS if it's running

    Stop-Service -Name W3SVC -Force
    Set-Service -Name W3SVC -StartupType Disabled

Issue 3: Service Crashes or Restarts Frequently​

Configure Failure Recovery: Set service recovery options

nssm set Caddy AppExit Default Restart
nssm set Caddy AppRestartDelay 5000
nssm set Caddy AppStdout "C:\Tools\Caddy\logs\caddy-output.log"
nssm set Caddy AppStderr "C:\Tools\Caddy\logs\caddy-error.log"

Monitor for issues: Watch error logs

Get-Content "C:\Tools\Caddy\logs\caddy-error.log" -Wait

Debug Mode​

For detailed troubleshooting, run Caddy manually with debug output:

Stop the service first

nssm stop Caddy

Run Caddy manually with debug logging

cd C:\Tools\Caddy
caddy run --config Caddyfile --debug

Security Best Practices​

Service Account Configuration​

Create Dedicated Service Account​

For enhanced security, create a dedicated service account:

Create a new local user for Caddy service

$password = ConvertTo-SecureString "YourSecurePassword123!" -AsPlainText -Force
New-LocalUser -Name "CaddyService" -Password $password -Description "Caddy Web Server Service Account"

Add to necessary groups

Add-LocalGroupMember -Group "Log on as a service" -Member "CaddyService"

Configure Service to Use Dedicated Account​

Stop the service

nssm stop Caddy

Configure service account

nssm set Caddy ObjectName ".\CaddyService" "YourSecurePassword123!"

Start the service

nssm start Caddy

File System Permissions​

Set secure permissions on Caddy directory

icacls "C:\Tools\Caddy" /inheritance:d
icacls "C:\Tools\Caddy" /grant:r "CaddyService:(OI)(CI)RX"
icacls "C:\Tools\Caddy" /grant:r "Administrators:(OI)(CI)F"
icacls "C:\Tools\Caddy" /remove "Users"

Secure log directory

icacls "C:\Tools\Caddy\logs" /grant:r "CaddyService:(OI)(CI)M"

Windows Firewall Configuration​

Create specific firewall rules for Caddy

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Caddy HTTP Inbound" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 80 -Action Allow -Program "C:\Tools\Caddy\caddy.exe"
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Caddy HTTPS Inbound" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 443 -Action Allow -Program "C:\Tools\Caddy\caddy.exe"

Block other applications from using these ports

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Block HTTP Others" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 80 -Action Block
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Block HTTPS Others" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 443 -Action Block

Performance Optimization​

Service Configuration Tuning​

Configure service for better performance

nssm set Caddy AppPriority NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS
nssm set Caddy AppNoConsole 1
nssm set Caddy AppAffinity All

Set restart delays

nssm set Caddy AppThrottle 1500
nssm set Caddy AppRestartDelay 5000

System Resource Limits​

Create a PowerShell script to monitor resource usage:

Save as C:\Tools\Caddy\scripts\monitor-caddy.ps1

$processName = "caddy"
$process = Get-Process -Name $processName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

if ($process) {
    $cpu = $process.CPU
    $memory = [math]::Round($process.WorkingSet64 / 1MB, 2)
    $handles = $process.Handles
    
    Write-Host "Caddy Performance Metrics:"
    Write-Host "CPU Time: $cpu seconds"
    Write-Host "Memory Usage: $memory MB"
    Write-Host "Handles: $handles"
} else {
    Write-Host "Caddy process not found"
}

Log Rotation and Management​

Configure log rotation

nssm set Caddy AppRotateFiles 1
nssm set Caddy AppRotateOnline 1
nssm set Caddy AppRotateSeconds 86400  # Daily rotation
nssm set Caddy AppRotateBytes 10485760  # 10MB max size

Automation and Maintenance​

Automated Health Checks​

Create a health check script:

Save as C:\Tools\Caddy\scripts\health-check.ps1

param(
    [string]$ServiceName = "Caddy",
    [string]$TestUrl = "http://localhost",
    [int]$TimeoutSeconds = 30
)

# Check service status
$service = Get-Service -Name $ServiceName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if (-not $service -or $service.Status -ne "Running") {
    Write-Host "❌ Service $ServiceName is not running"
    
    # Attempt to start the service
    try {
        Start-Service -Name $ServiceName
        Start-Sleep -Seconds 10
        Write-Host "✅ Service $ServiceName started successfully"
    } catch {
        Write-Host "❌ Failed to start service: $($_.Exception.Message)"
        exit 1
    }
}

# Test HTTP response
try {
    $response = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $TestUrl -TimeoutSec $TimeoutSeconds -UseBasicParsing
    if ($response.StatusCode -eq 200) {
        Write-Host "✅ HTTP test successful"
    } else {
        Write-Host "⚠️ HTTP test returned status code: $($response.StatusCode)"
    }
} catch {
    Write-Host "❌ HTTP test failed: $($_.Exception.Message)"
}

Scheduled Maintenance Tasks​

Create scheduled tasks for maintenance:

# Create a scheduled task for health checks
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "PowerShell.exe" -Argument "-File C:\Tools\Caddy\scripts\health-check.ps1"
$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -RepetitionInterval (New-TimeSpan -Minutes 5) -RepetitionDuration (New-TimeSpan -Days 365) -At (Get-Date)
$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries -StartWhenAvailable
$principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -UserId "SYSTEM" -LogonType ServiceAccount -RunLevel Highest

Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "Caddy Health Check" -Action $action -Trigger $trigger -Settings $settings -Principal $principal

Backup and Recovery​

Configuration Backup Script​

# Save as C:\Tools\Caddy\scripts\backup-config.ps1
$backupDir = "C:\Tools\Caddy\backups"
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd_HHmmss"
$backupPath = "$backupDir\caddy-backup-$timestamp"

# Create backup directory
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $backupPath -Force

# Backup Caddyfile
Copy-Item "C:\Tools\Caddy\Caddyfile" "$backupPath\Caddyfile"

# Backup NSSM service configuration
nssm dump Caddy > "$backupPath\nssm-config.txt"

# Backup certificates (if using file storage)
if (Test-Path "C:\Tools\Caddy\data") {
    Copy-Item "C:\Tools\Caddy\data" "$backupPath\data" -Recurse
}

# Cleanup old backups (keep last 7 days)
Get-ChildItem $backupDir -Directory | Where-Object {$_.CreationTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-7)} | Remove-Item -Recurse -Force

Write-Host "✅ Backup completed: $backupPath"

Automated Backup Schedule​

# Schedule daily backups
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "PowerShell.exe" -Argument "-File C:\Tools\Caddy\scripts\backup-config.ps1"
$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At "2:00 AM"
$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries
$principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -UserId "SYSTEM" -LogonType ServiceAccount -RunLevel Highest

Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "Caddy Daily Backup" -Action $action -Trigger $trigger -Settings $settings -Principal $principal

Advanced Configuration​

Multiple Caddy Instances​

To run multiple Caddy instances for different purposes: Install second instance

nssm install CaddyAPI

Configure for API server

nssm set CaddyAPI Application "C:\Tools\Caddy\caddy.exe"
nssm set CaddyAPI Parameters "run --config CaddyfileAPI --adapter caddyfile"
nssm set CaddyAPI AppDirectory "C:\Tools\Caddy"
nssm set CaddyAPI DisplayName "Caddy API Server"

Integration with Windows Features​

Windows Performance Toolkit Integration​

Monitor Caddy performance with Windows Performance Toolkit

wpr -start GeneralProfile -filemode

Run your tests...

wpr -stop C:\Tools\Caddy\logs\caddy-performance.etl

Integration with Windows Admin Center​

For enterprise environments, consider integrating with Windows Admin Center for centralized management.

Next Steps​

Advanced Features​

  1. Load Balancing: Configure multiple backend servers
  2. SSL/TLS Management: Advanced certificate management
  3. Monitoring Integration: Prometheus, Grafana, or SCOM integration
  4. Clustering: Multiple Caddy instances with shared configuration

Enterprise Integration​

  • Active Directory: Integrate with AD for authentication
  • Group Policy: Deploy configurations via GPO
  • SCCM Integration: Software deployment and management
  • PowerShell DSC: Desired State Configuration for consistency

Resources​

Summary​

You have successfully configured Caddy as a Windows service using NSSM with:

✅ Professional service installation with proper configuration
✅ Comprehensive logging and monitoring capabilities
✅ Security hardening with dedicated service accounts
✅ Automated health checks and maintenance procedures
✅ Backup and recovery strategies
✅ Performance optimization and resource management
✅ Enterprise-ready deployment with advanced features

Your Caddy service is now ready for production use with automatic startup, robust monitoring, and professional Windows service management.

Buy me pc parts
💬Join Discord
☕Buy me a coffee