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Nuster

Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted

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What Nuster is

Nuster is a free, open-source HTTP proxy cache and RESTful NoSQL cache server based on HAProxy. It supports HTTP and TCP load balancing, HTTPS on both frontend and backend, HTTP/2, compression, rewriting, monitoring, stickiness, access-control lists, and content switching. HTTP cache rules can use request or response content, headers, cookies, server state, SSL details, and connection metrics. Cache controls include purging, statistics, TTL settings, and disk persistence. Its NoSQL cache uses HTTP POST, GET, and DELETE requests to store, retrieve, and remove key-value objects, including arbitrary data. The project describes placing it between an application and a database such as Memcached or Redis, or between users and an application; any programming language with HTTP support can use the cache. Nuster is self-hosted, with Linux build instructions and a Docker run example, and uses file-based configuration. The manager, stats, and purge API is disabled by default, and the project advises restricting access when enabling it. The license is GPL with an OpenSSL-use exception.

Who it suits

Nuster suits teams deploying a self-hosted proxy cache or RESTful key-value cache on Linux or Docker. It may also fit applications that need HTTP-based access to arbitrary cached data.

What it does well

  • Free and open source
  • Supports HTTP and TCP load balancing
  • Cache controls include purging, TTL settings, and disk persistence
  • RESTful cache accepts HTTP POST, GET, and DELETE
  • Linux build instructions and Docker example are provided

What to know first

  • Self-hosted deployment is required
  • Manager, stats, and purge API is disabled by default
  • Project advises restricting access when enabling those APIs
  • Stable version is listed as released in 2020

Verdict

Nuster combines proxy and HTTP caching with a RESTful NoSQL cache, and supports file-based configuration for self-hosted use. The manager, stats, and purge API requires deliberate access restrictions when enabled.

Facts from Nuster's own pages

Cache controls
The project lists cache management, purging, stats, TTL settings, and disk persistence. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Cache management
Documented cache features include purging, statistics, TTL settings, and disk persistence. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Configuration limit
The manager, stats, and purge API is disabled by default, and the project advises restricting access when enabling it. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Deployment
The README gives Linux build instructions and a Docker image and run example for self-hosted deployment. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Downloads and maintenance
The download page lists version 5.2.5.22 as stable, released 2020-12-19, and marks several older versions unmaintained or critical-fixes-only. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
HAProxy compatibility
The README says Nuster is 100% compatible with HAProxy and inherits its features. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
HTTP caching
It can cache dynamic and static HTTP responses with rules based on request or response content, headers, cookies, server state, SSL details, and connection metrics. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Integration compatibility
Nuster says its RESTful cache supports any data type and any programming language that supports HTTP. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Integrations
The README describes using Nuster between an application and a database like Memcached or Redis, and says any programming language with HTTP support can use it. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Intended use
The project describes using its NoSQL cache between an application and database or between end users and an application. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
License
The repository license file states that files in the package are covered by GPL unless expressly stated otherwise, with an exception allowing OpenSSL use. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Load balancing
It supports HTTP and TCP load balancing, HTTPS on frontend and backend, HTTP compression, HTTP/2, rewriting, monitoring, stickiness, ACLs, and content switching. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Performance claim
The README reports benchmark results of nearly three times nginx's speed on one core and nearly twice nginx's speed and three times Varnish's speed across all cores. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Product
Nuster is a high-performance HTTP proxy cache server and RESTful NoSQL cache server based on HAProxy. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Release status
The download page lists version 5.2.5.22, released 2020-12-19, as the stable version; its 5.3.0.23 release is labeled mainline. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
RESTful key-value cache
Nuster supports HTTP POST, GET, and DELETE operations to set, retrieve, and delete key-value objects. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
RESTful NoSQL
Its NoSQL cache accepts HTTP POST, GET, and DELETE requests to set, retrieve, and delete key-value objects, and supports arbitrary data. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Security controls
The README lists HTTPS support and ACLs; it cautions users to restrict access when enabling the manager, stats, and purge API. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
What it does
Nuster is an HTTP proxy cache and RESTful NoSQL cache server based on HAProxy. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026

Where Nuster stands on Freedom251

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