Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Apache HTTP Server VS Traefik

Compare Apache HTTP Server VS Traefik and see what are their differences

Apache HTTP Server logo Apache HTTP Server

Apache httpd has been the most popular web server on the Internet since April 1996

Traefik logo Traefik

Load Balancer / Reverse Proxy
  • Apache HTTP Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-21
  • Traefik Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-13

Apache HTTP Server features and specs

  • Open Source
    Apache HTTP Server is open source, meaning it is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. This promotes a large, active community that contributes to its maintenance and improvement.
  • Cross-Platform
    Apache is compatible with a variety of operating systems, including Unix, Linux, and Windows, providing flexibility and widespread usability.
  • Highly Customizable
    It offers a modular architecture that allows users to enable or disable features as needed, and to extend functionality through modules.
  • Robust Documentation
    Apache provides comprehensive and detailed documentation, which makes it easier for users to install, configure, and troubleshoot the server.
  • Widespread Adoption
    With its long history and widespread use, Apache has proven to be reliable and trusted by many organizations worldwide, ensuring a level of trust and stability.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Apache includes many features out-of-the-box, such as SSL/TLS support, URL redirection, authentication, load balancing, and more.

Possible disadvantages of Apache HTTP Server

  • Performance Overhead
    Compared to some lightweight web servers like Nginx, Apache can have higher memory and CPU usage, which may not be ideal for high concurrency needs.
  • Complex Configuration
    Apache's extensive customization options can lead to a complex configuration process, which may be challenging for beginners or those without specific expertise.
  • Less Efficient in Serving Static Content
    While Apache is highly capable, it may be less efficient at serving static content compared to specialized web servers like Nginx.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    Due to its rich features and configurability, new users might face a steep learning curve when first setting up and using Apache HTTP Server.
  • Module Compatibility Issues
    Sometimes, third-party modules may not always be compatible with the latest versions of Apache, causing potential integration issues.

Traefik features and specs

  • Dynamic Configuration
    Traefik allows for dynamic configuration changes without needing restarts, making it easy to manage in rapidly evolving environments.
  • Kubernetes Integration
    Traefik has native support for Kubernetes, simplifying the process of managing ingress controllers and load balancing in containerized environments.
  • Service Discovery
    It supports automatic service discovery via various backends, including Docker, Consul, and Kubernetes, making it easy to integrate into many architectures.
  • HTTPS Support
    Traefik can automatically obtain and renew SSL/TLS certificates using Let's Encrypt, ensuring secure communications.
  • Middleware
    It supports middleware for handling tasks such as authentication, rate limiting, and retries, offering more control over traffic management.
  • Dashboard
    Traefik includes a built-in dashboard for monitoring and visualizing the routing configuration and health of services.

Possible disadvantages of Traefik

  • Complexity
    The flexibility and range of features can make Traefik complex to configure and understand for beginners.
  • Performance Overhead
    The additional abstraction layer can introduce some performance overhead, which might be a concern in high-performance environments.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    Although Traefik covers many standard use cases, it may lack some advanced features that are found in more specialized load balancers.
  • Documentation
    While improving, the documentation can sometimes be lacking in depth or clarity, which can lead to difficulties in configuration and troubleshooting.
  • Community Support
    Although there is an active community, it may not be as vast or responsive as that of some other more established software like NGINX or HAProxy.
  • Proprietary Features
    Some advanced features are only available in the enterprise edition, which might be a constraint for users looking for a completely open-source solution.

Apache HTTP Server videos

No Apache HTTP Server videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Traefik videos

Traefik: A Scalable and Highly Available Edge Router by Damien Duportalt

More videos:

  • Review - Playing around with Traefik
  • Review - Rocket.Chat on Amazon EKS with Traefik. By Aaron Ogle, Lead Cloud Architect

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache HTTP Server and Traefik)
Web And Application Servers
Web Servers
63 63%
37% 37
Application Server
100 100%
0% 0
Load Balancer / Reverse Proxy

User comments

Share your experience with using Apache HTTP Server and Traefik. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Apache HTTP Server and Traefik

Apache HTTP Server Reviews

9 Best XAMPP Alternatives Cross Platform Web Server
However, compared to XAMPP and other popular web servers in the market Apache HTTP Server is a bit more complicated and is a little difficult to navigate for a complete newbie, but if you want to understand web development from the very fundamentals and understand how Apache as a web server software works then this software can be of great help to you.
Litespeed vs Nginx vs Apache: Web Server Showdown
The most commonly used Web Server is by far Apache HTTP Server from the Software Apache Foundation. Created in 1995 by Rob McCool and Brian Behlendorf, among others. The name is a pun for A PatCHy server, as at the time of it’s inception, Apache was based on some existing code, along with some perhaps “hacky or clunky” software packages, enabling it to run. Additionally, the...
Source: chemicloud.com
10 Best alternatives of XAMPP servers for Windows, Linux and macOS
Apache is an open-source and free web server software that owns about 46% of websites worldwide. The official name is Apache HTTP Server and is maintained and developed by the Apache Software Foundation. This allows website owners to serve content on the web – hence the name “webserver”.
Top 5 open source web servers
As the Apache HTTP Server has been the most popular web server since 1996, it "benefits from great documentation and integrated support from other software projects." You can find more information on the Apache Foundation project page.
Source: opensource.com

Traefik Reviews

Top 5 Open Source Load Balancers in 2024
Traefik's prowess extends beyond the conventional, equipped with a robust set of middlewares that elevate its capabilities. Going beyond load balancing and reverse proxy roles, Traefik serves as a comprehensive solution for modern cloud-native applications, including API gateway, orchestrator ingress, east-west service communication, and more.
10 Awesome Open Source Load Balancers
Traefik is a reverse proxy and L7 load balancer. Written in Go, it’s designed to support microservices and container-powered services in a distributed system. It has native support for Docker Swarm and Kubernetes orchestration, as well as service registries such as etcd or Consul. It also offers extensive support for WebSocket, HTTP/2, and gRPC services. Traefik integrates...
Top 5 Open-Source Load Balancers 2021
The modern and efficient, Traefik is an open-source reverse proxy and load balancer that provides a simple routing platform without engaging any complexities. Most popular among the Github Fanclub, Traefik owns approximately 27.7k Github stars.
Source: linuxways.net
The 5 Best Open Source Load Balancers
Traefik bills itself as the “cloud native edge router.” It’s a modern microservices-focused application load balancer and reverse proxy written in Golang. With its emphasis on support for several modern container orchestration platforms, batteries-included logging, and several popular metric formats, Traefik is a top choice for container-based microservices architectures.
Source: logz.io

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache HTTP Server should be more popular than Traefik. It has been mentiond 64 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apache HTTP Server mentions (64)

  • Unveiling a Licensing Legend: The Netscape Public License 1.1
    The Netscape Public License 1.1 served as a crucial stepping stone for modern open source licensing models. Developed by Netscape Communications Corporation, it was designed to encourage global community collaboration while safeguarding intellectual property. During the rise of the open source movement, the license provided a much-needed balance between transparency and control, making it a frequent subject of... - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Unveiling GNU FDL 1.2: A Deep Dive into Free Documentation Licensing
    Adoption, Use Cases, and Comparative Analysis: Projects ranging from community manuals to major software endeavors like the Apache HTTP Server have adopted the GNU FDL 1.2 to preserve the spirit of open documentation. While its copyleft nature ensures that every modification remains free, critics argue that the rigidity of the license may deter commercial integration. This is contrasted with alternative licensing... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Unveiling GNU FDL 1.1: A Deep Dive into Free Documentation Licensing
    GNU FDL 1.1 was created by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) with the intent of bringing the same freedoms found in free software to documentation. Many notable projects, including those under the aegis of the Apache HTTP Server, have benefited from a documentation license that guarantees continued openness and proper attribution. Throughout our exploration, we will delve into the evolution, strengths, and... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Unveiling SISSL 1.1: A New Era in Open Source Fairness
    Community Engagement and Legal Robustness: The license has garnered attention not just for its legal precision but also for its emphasis on community fairness. Developers find reassurance in clear, transparent clauses that protect their rights while simultaneously opening avenues for innovation. The Apache HTTP Server serves as one notable example of a project that embraced similar principles in fostering a... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Unveiling the Libpng License: A Deep Dive into Open Source Fairness
    The comprehensive review of the Libpng License breaks down its various dimensions from historical origins to modern-day challenges. Initially devised to protect and promote the development of libpng, the license focuses on minimizing legal overhead while still providing fundamental safeguards for developers. Its simplicity has helped drive the adoption in critical projects such as the Apache HTTP Server and... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
View more

Traefik mentions (38)

  • Adventures in Homelabbing: From Cloud Obsession to Self-Hosted Shenanigans
    I began to self-host a Minecraft server using Crafty Controller, an Excalidraw instance, Docmost to replace Notion, Plane to replace Jira, and Penpot to replace Figma. To be able to access them from the internet, I used Nginx Proxy Manager to set up reverse proxies with SSL. You can use Traefik or Caddy instead, but I enjoyed the ease-of-use of NPM. For a dashboard solution, I started with Homarr, but later... - Source: dev.to / 23 days ago
  • Nginx vs Traefik: Which Reverse Proxy is Right for You?
    Before diving into the specifics of Nginx and Traefik, let’s quickly define what a reverse proxy is. A reverse proxy sits between the client (browser or other services) and your backend services (web servers or applications). It handles incoming requests, routes them to the appropriate backend service, and forwards the response to the client. Reverse proxies are typically used for:. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Opening Pandora's Container - How Exposing the Docker Socket Paves the Way to Host Control (Part 1)
    You may wonder why one would even want to expose the Docker socket when there are clearly risks involved. A popular usecase besides accessing remote Docker daemons (which you can actually expose over a TCP socket) are applications that either need control of the daemon to manage other containers, like for example Portainer, or tools that need information about containers for auto discovery purposes, like Traefik.... - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • The Home Server Journey - 3: An Actually Global "Hello"
    I emphasize usually because K3s is different and comes with a Traefik-based ingress controller by default. Taking that into account, as much as I like NGINX outside the container's world, I'd rather keep things simple and use what's already in place. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Running Docker based web applications in Hashicorp Nomad with Traefik Load balancing
    In previous post, we discussed creating a basic Nomad cluster in the Vultr cloud. Here, we will use the cluster created to deploy a load-balanced sample web app using the service discovery capability of Nomad and its native integration with the Traefik load balancer. The source code is available here for the reference. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache HTTP Server and Traefik, you can also consider the following products

Microsoft IIS - Internet Information Services is a web server for Microsoft Windows

nginx - A high performance free open source web server powering busiest sites on the Internet.

Apache Tomcat - An open source software implementation of the Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages technologies

AWS Elastic Load Balancing - Amazon ELB automatically distributes incoming application traffic across multiple Amazon EC2 instances in the cloud.

LiteSpeed Web Server - LiteSpeed Web Server (LSWS) is a high-performance Apache drop-in replacement.

Haproxy - Reliable, High Performance TCP/HTTP Load Balancer