Top H2O Alternatives: Discovering the Best Web Server Options

H2O is renowned as an optimized HTTP server and library, offering robust support for HTTP/1.0, HTTP/1.1, WebSockets, and HTTP/2.0. While H2O is a powerful solution for many, specific project requirements, performance needs, or preference for different feature sets often lead developers and system administrators to seek a suitable H2O alternative. This article explores some of the top contenders that can fulfill similar roles, sometimes with unique advantages.

Top H2O Alternatives

If you're looking to enhance your web serving capabilities or simply explore different architectural approaches, these H2O alternatives offer compelling features and performance. Whether you prioritize flexibility, ease of use, or specific protocol support, there's an option here for you.

nginx

nginx [engine x] is a widely adopted HTTP and reverse proxy server, and also a mail proxy server, known for its high performance and low memory footprint. As an excellent H2O alternative, nginx is Free and Open Source, available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD. Its key features include load balancing, HTTPS support, a lightweight design, low memory usage, and a configurable, modular system, making it a versatile web server for various applications.

Caddy

Caddy is an H2O alternative that emphasizes ease of use and automated HTTPS. It aims to make web development faster and more productive. It's available as Free Personal and Open Source software for Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD, and FreeBSD, and OpenBSD. Caddy stands out with features like built-in support for Let's Encrypt for automatic SSL certificates, a modular system, portability, and the ability to function as a static site generator and a robust web server.

Cherokee

Cherokee is a highly flexible, very fast, and lightweight web server that serves as a solid H2O alternative. Implemented entirely in C with minimal dependencies, it's easily embeddable. This Free and Open Source solution is available for Mac, Linux, and BSD platforms, primarily focusing on its core function as an efficient web server.

TrustLeap G-WAN Web Server

TrustLeap G-WAN Web Server is touted as one of the fastest web servers available on Windows and Linux, making it an intriguing H2O alternative for performance-critical applications. It's a small-footprint (under 200 KB) Free web server with full ANSI-C scripting capabilities. Its key features revolve around its speed and efficient scripting support, making it a powerful choice for developers seeking raw performance.

Algernon

Algernon is a small, self-contained, pure-Go web server that offers a modern H2O alternative, particularly appealing to Go developers. This Free and Open Source server is compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD. It boasts built-in support for Lua scripting, Markdown pages, Sass/GCSS, HTTP/2, QUIC, and direct access to Redis and PostgreSQL, making it a comprehensive solution for web development and serving.

Choosing the right H2O alternative depends heavily on your specific project needs, whether it's raw speed, ease of configuration, multi-platform support, or integrated development features. We encourage you to explore these options further to find the best fit for your next web server deployment.