OS Manuals

/usr/bin/varnishd

Varnish Cache is a web application accelerator also known as a caching HTTP reverse proxy

From varnish 9.1.0-r3 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running varnishd --help (exit 2). permalink

/usr/bin/varnishd: invalid option -- '-'
Usage: varnishd [options]

Basic options:
  [-a [name=][listen_address          # HTTP listen address, protocol, options.
       [,PROTO|,option=value,...]]    # Can be specified multiple times.
                                      #   default: ":80,HTTP"
    options:                          # Proto can be "PROXY", "TLS" or "HTTP" (default)
      [,user=<u>][,group=<g>]         # user, group and mode set permissions for
      [,mode=<m>]                     #   a Unix domain socket.
  -A cfgfile                          # Listen endpoint/TLS configuration file
  -b none                             # No backend
  -b [addr[:port]|path]               # Backend address and port
                                      #   or socket file path
                                      #   default: ":80"
  -f vclfile                          # VCL program
                                      # Can be specified multiple times.
  -n dir                              # Working directory
                                      #   default: /var/run/varnishd

-b can be used only once, and not together with -f

Documentation options:
  -?                                  # Prints this usage message
  -x parameter                        # Parameter documentation in RST format
  -x parameter-json                   # Parameter documentation in JSON format
  -x vsl                              # VSL record documentation
  -x cli                              # CLI command documentation
  -x builtin                          # Builtin VCL program
  -x optstring                        # List of getopt options
  -x options                          # Dynamic options documentation

Operations options:
  -F                                  # Run in foreground
  -T address[:port]                   # CLI address
                                      # Can be specified multiple times.
  -M address:port                     # Reverse CLI destination
                                      # Can be specified multiple times.
  -P file                             # PID file
  -i identity                         # Identity of Varnish instance
  -I clifile                          # Initialization CLI commands
  -E extension                        # Load extension

Tuning options:
  -t TTL                              # Default TTL
  -p param=value                      # set parameter
                                      # Can be specified multiple times.
  -s [name=]kind[,options]            # Storage specification
                                      # Can be specified multiple times.
                                      #   -s default (=malloc)
                                      #   -s malloc
                                      #   -s file
  -l vsl                              # Size of shared memory log
                                      #   vsl: space for VSL records [80m]

Security options:
  -r param[,param...]                 # Set parameters read-only from CLI
                                      # Can be specified multiple times.
  -S secret-file                      # Secret file for CLI authentication
  -j jail[,options]                   # Jail specification
                                      #   -j linux
                                      #   -j unix
                                      #   -j none

Advanced/Dev/Debug options:
  -d                                  # debug mode
                                      # Stay in foreground, CLI on stdin.
  -C                                  # Output VCL code compiled to C language
  -V                                  # version
  -h kind[,options]                   # Hash specification
  -W waiter                           # Waiter implementation
Options (25)
OptionDescriptionSource
-A cfgfile# Listen endpoint/TLS configuration filehelp
-b none# No backendhelp + man
-f vclfile# VCL program # Can be specified multiple times.help
-n dir# Working directory # default: /var/run/varnishdhelp
-?# Prints this usage messagehelp + man
-x parameter# Parameter documentation in RST formathelp
-FDo not fork, run in the foreground.help + man
-T address[:port# CLI address # Can be specified multiple times.help
-M address:port# Reverse CLI destination # Can be specified multiple times.help
-P file# PID filehelp
-i identity# Identity of Varnish instancehelp
-I clifile# Initialization CLI commandshelp
-E extension# Load extensionhelp
-t TTL# Default TTLhelp
-p param=value# set parameter # Can be specified multiple times.help
-s name=]kind# Storage specification # Can be specified multiple times.help
-l vsl# Size of shared memory log # vsl: space for VSL records [80m]help
-r param# Set parameters read-only from CLI # Can be specified multiple times.help
-S secret-file# Secret file for CLI authenticationhelp
-j jail# Jail specification # -j linux # -j unix # -j nonehelp
-dEnables debugging mode: The parent process runs in the foreground with a CLI connection on stdin/stdout, and the child process must be started explicitly with a CLI command.help + man
-CPrint VCL code compiled to C language and exit.help + man
-VDisplay the version number and exit.help + man
-h kind# Hash specificationhelp
-W waiter# Waiter implementationhelp

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.