lighttpd

What it does

Build systems

The source build instructions list automake, CMake, Meson, and SCons as supported build frameworks.checked 7 Oct 2026

Compatibility caveat

The project describes its Windows download as outdated, third-party, unmaintained, and not recommended.checked 7 Oct 2026

Development branch

The download index identifies lighttpd 2.0 as a development branch.checked 7 Oct 2026

Development status

The project says lighttpd 2.0 is unfinished and should not be used in production.checked 7 Oct 2026

Distribution

The project provides source releases and points users to operating-system package managers for binary packages.checked 7 Oct 2026

Documentation and help

The project points users to its documentation, wiki, forum, and issue tracker for help and bug reports.checked 7 Oct 2026

Downloads

The download index provides source archives, GPG signatures, checksums, and a current stable 1.4.x release.checked 7 Oct 2026

Features

The project lists FastCGI, CGI, authentication, output compression, and URL rewriting among lighttpd’s features.checked 7 Oct 2026

Latest release

The project wiki lists version 1.4.85, dated 2026-07-08, as the latest release.checked 7 Oct 2026

License

lighttpd is released under the Open Source revised BSD license.checked 7 Oct 2026

Modules

Documented modules include access controls, access logging, authentication, compression, FastCGI, proxying, TLS, and virtual hosting.checked 7 Oct 2026

Resource use

The project says lighttpd uses memory and CPU efficiently and is intended for systems both small and large.checked 7 Oct 2026

Security guidance

The security page recommends regularly updating lighttpd and says its security defaults improve over time when updates are deployed.checked 7 Oct 2026

Security maintenance

The security page recommends deploying the latest stable release and says updates are needed for security defaults and bug fixes to take effect.checked 7 Oct 2026

Security reporting

The project asks users who should not report a bug publicly to contact its security email address.checked 7 Oct 2026

Support

The project directs support questions to its forums and also lists IRC at Libera.Chat in channel #lighttpd.checked 7 Oct 2026

Support channels

The project wiki lists the Libera IRC channel #lighttpd and forums as help channels.checked 7 Oct 2026

TLS

TLS/SSL is available through modules for OpenSSL, mbedTLS, wolfSSL, GnuTLS, or NSS.checked 7 Oct 2026

TLS options

Build instructions list OpenSSL, GnuTLS, mbedTLS, NSS, and wolfSSL as optional TLS library choices.checked 7 Oct 2026

What it does

lighttpd is a secure, fast, standards-compliant, flexible web server optimized for high-performance environments.checked 7 Oct 2026