Caddy(8) Caddy(8)

# [NAME](#NAME)

caddy-start - Starts the Caddy process in the background and then returns

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**caddy start \[--config \[--adapter ]] \[--envfile ] \[--watch] \[--pidfile ] \[flags]**

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Starts the Caddy process, optionally bootstrapped with an initial config file. This command unblocks after the server starts running or fails to run.

If --envfile is specified, an environment file with environment variables in the KEY=VALUE format will be loaded into the Caddy process.

On Windows, the spawned child process will remain attached to the terminal, so closing the window will forcefully stop Caddy; to avoid forgetting this, try using 'caddy run' instead to keep it in the foreground.

# [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

**-a**, **--adapter**="" Name of config adapter to apply

**-c**, **--config**="" Configuration file

**--envfile**=\[] Environment file(s) to load

**-h**, **--help**\[=false] help for start

**--pidfile**="" Path of file to which to write process ID

**-w**, **--watch**\[=false] Reload changed config file automatically

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**caddy(8)**](/man/enterprise-packages/caddy/caddy.8)

# [HISTORY](#HISTORY)

13-Oct-2026 Auto generated by spf13/cobra

Oct 2026 Auto generated by spf13/cobra

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Document: caddy-start(8) from caddy 2.11.7-r4 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/caddyserver/caddy