# Caddy

Caddy is the single reverse proxy for both hosts. It runs as a container on Dankclaw (192.168.0.143), terminates TLS with real Let's Encrypt certificates, routes hostnames to containers on both hosts, and protects the homepage and sensitive services with HTTP basic auth.

**Docs:** https://caddyserver.com/docs

## Facts (live inventory)

| Item | Value |
|------|-------|
| Image | `franksdank/caddy-porkbun:latest` (local build, `dankclaw/caddy/Containerfile`) |
| Config | `/home/dank/Containers/caddy/Caddyfile` (bind mount, rendered by deploy) |
| Data | `/home/dank/Containers/caddy/data` (certs) and `.../config` (ACME state) |
| Ports | 80, 443 on 192.168.0.143 |
| TLS | Let's Encrypt, DNS-01 via the Porkbun module (one cert per vhost) |
| Runs on | Dankclaw only — Dankserver has no Caddy |

The Caddyfile in git (`dankclaw/Caddyfile`) carries a `REPLACE_WITH_HASH` placeholder. `scripts/deploy.sh` renders the real basicauth hash from the host `.env` (`CADDY_BASICAUTH_HASH`) into the mounted path before `up`. See [[Deployment Flow]].

## The porkbun image

Stock Caddy cannot solve the ACME challenge because the router exposes no inbound port 80/443. The local image adds the `github.com/caddy-dns/porkbun` module, which answers the DNS-01 challenge by creating and deleting a `_acme-challenge` TXT record through the Porkbun API. No inbound port is needed. Rebuild only when Caddy or the module needs an update:

```
podman build -t franksdank/caddy-porkbun:latest -f dankclaw/caddy/Containerfile .
```

The Caddyfile references the credentials through the environment:

```
acme_dns porkbun {
    api_key {env.PORKBUN_API_KEY}
    api_secret_key {env.PORKBUN_API_SECRET_KEY}
}
```

compose passes both variables from the host `.env`. Keep the real keys in `.env` only; `.env.example` holds placeholders. The Porkbun account holds only `franksdank.cloud`.

## Vhost map

Every vhost uses the flat `franksdank.cloud` convention. The full list lives in `dankclaw/Caddyfile`. Routing by host:

| Upstream | Reach |
|----------|-------|
| Dankclaw services (compose network) | by container name, e.g. `comfyui:8188` |
| Dankclaw quadlet services | by published LAN port, e.g. `192.168.0.143:3000` (Gitea) |
| Dankserver services | by published LAN port, e.g. `192.168.0.235:8085` (RomM) |

The bare-IP catch-all `:80` 302-redirects to `https://dankclaw.franksdank.cloud/`. The legacy name `dankserver.franksdank.cloud` 302-redirects there too. `plex.franksdank.casa` is the only plain-HTTP vhost; it cannot get a DNS-01 cert because `franksdank.casa` is not in the Porkbun account. The canonical Plex name is `plex.franksdank.cloud`.

## Basic auth

The Caddyfile in git carries a **bare** placeholder; deploy.sh substitutes the **full** hash from the host `.env` (`CADDY_BASICAUTH_HASH`):

```
chat.franksdank.cloud {
    basicauth {
        dank REPLACE_WITH_HASH
    }
    reverse_proxy 192.168.0.143:3005
}
```

After rendering, the line reads `dank $2a$14$xxxx…` (one complete hash). Do not put a `$2a$14$` prefix in the template: it would render a double-prefixed, invalid hash (2026-08-22 incident — every basicauth vhost returned 401 for every password). `tests/deployment_flow.bats` pins the render contract.

The homepage also uses basic auth; see [[Homepage]].

## Operations

Validate before a reload:

```
caddy validate --config /etc/caddy/Caddyfile --adapter caddyfile
```

The admin endpoint stays on (loopback-only, unpublished port), so a Caddyfile change hot-reloads within seconds via the file watcher. deploy.sh also issues an explicit reload after rendering. Manual reload from the host:

```
podman exec caddy caddy reload --config /etc/caddy/Caddyfile --adapter caddyfile
```

Certificates and ACME state live in the caddy data volume. Back it up with the stack. Each vhost owns one certificate; renewals are automatic and also use DNS-01.

## Gotchas

- `admin off` disables the config file watcher: rendered changes then sit on disk while Caddy serves its stale in-memory config until the container is recreated, and nothing logs an error (2026-08-22: a broken basicauth hash survived several deploys this way). `tests/caddyfile.bats` forbids `admin off`.
- The basicauth template must stay a bare `REPLACE_WITH_HASH` token (no `$2a$14$` prefix) — the rendered value is the complete hash. A double prefix silently rejects every password with 401; no Caddy error is logged.
- A new vhost needs three things: a Pi-hole `addn-hosts` line, a Porkbun A record, and the Caddyfile block. See [[LAN-DNS]].
- The G36 has no NAT loopback, so LAN clients must resolve the name to the LAN IP. That is the Pi-hole role in [[LAN-DNS]].
- Caddy serves HTTPS on 443 and HTTP on 80 (redirects). The router needs no 80/443 port forward for LAN use.

## See Also

- [[LAN-DNS]] — how names resolve on the LAN and WAN
- [[Network Architecture]] — topology, access policy
- [[Homepage]]
- [[Dankclaw Stack]]