Apache Traffic Server vs SNI Proxy
Apache Traffic Server
trafficserver.apache.orgSNI Proxy
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Apache Traffic Server | SNI Proxy |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Reverse Proxy Software | 9.0 (#2) | 7.4 (#19) |
| License | ATS is distributed under the OSI-approved Apache License 2.0. | The repository identifies its license as BSD-2-Clause. |
| Protocols | The project site states full support for HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2, with ongoing development for emerging web standards and protocols. | It supports TLS and HTTP, but the maintainer says it does not support HTTP/2 hostname multiplexing or HTTP/3 over QUIC. |
| Purpose | Apache Traffic Server is a fast, scalable, extensible HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 caching proxy server. | SNI Proxy routes incoming HTTP and TLS connections using the hostname in the initial request of a TCP session. |
| Support | Users can seek help through the Users Mailing List or ASF Slack, and code questions through the developers discussion list. | The maintainer says they will monitor issues and email requests, but users should not expect a response unless the issue is a significant security or reliability problem. |
Plans
In their own words
Apache Traffic Server
Apache Traffic Server is a free, open-source caching proxy server for HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2. It stores frequently requested pages, images, and web service calls so they can be reused, with the stated aims of improving response time and reducing server load and bandwidth needs. It can also add keep-alive behavior, filter or anonymize requests, and balance traffic through a proxy layer. Deployment patterns include web proxy cache, reverse proxy, and cache hierarchy. As a layer 7 HTTP load balancer, it can choose next-hop servers using request attributes, weighted round robin, or URL consistent hashing. Plug-in APIs let teams add behavior such as changing headers, handling ESI requests, or implementing cache algorithms. Security options include client access controls and authentication, SSL termination, and SSL-based access control. It is self-hosted, with Linux and macOS listed as platforms. The project identifies enterprises, internet service providers, backbone providers, and large intranets as its intended audience. The listed stable release is 10.2.0; 9.2.15 is listed as the long-term support release.