Caddy GoDaddy DNS Provider Plugin

A Caddy v2 DNS provider plugin that enables ACME DNS-01 challenge validation through the GoDaddy DNS API to obtain TLS certificates from Let's Encrypt or other ACME CAs.

Features

• DNS-01 ACME challenge validation support
• Wildcard domain certificate support
• Automatic DNS TXT record creation and deletion
• Configurable API timeout
• Environment variable configuration support

Installation

Method 1: Official Plugin Installation (Recommended)

Caddy now supports dynamic plugin installation. Simply run:

caddy add-package github.com/xcaddyplugins/caddy-dns-godaddy

This command will automatically download, compile, and replace the current Caddy binary with a version that includes the GoDaddy DNS plugin.

Method 2: Build with xcaddy (Alternative)

If you prefer to build manually or need custom build options:

First, install xcaddy:

go install github.com/caddyserver/xcaddy/cmd/xcaddy@latest

Then build Caddy with the GoDaddy DNS plugin:

xcaddy build --with github.com/xcaddyplugins/caddy-dns-godaddy

Method 3: Docker Build

Create a Dockerfile:

FROM caddy:builder AS builder
RUN xcaddy build \
    --with github.com/xcaddyplugins/caddy-dns-godaddy

FROM caddy:latest
COPY --from=builder /usr/bin/caddy /usr/bin/caddy

Configuration

Obtaining GoDaddy API Credentials

1. Log in to the GoDaddy Developer Portal: https://developer.godaddy.com/
2. Create a new API key
3. Record the API Key and API Secret

Caddyfile Configuration

{
	email your-email@example.com
}

example.com {
	tls {
		dns godaddy {
			api_key {env.GODADDY_API_KEY}
			api_secret {env.GODADDY_API_SECRET}
			http_timeout 30s  # Optional, defaults to 30 seconds
		}
	}

	respond "Hello World!"
}

Environment Variables

export GODADDY_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"
export GODADDY_API_SECRET="your_api_secret_here"

JSON Configuration

If you're using JSON format for Caddy configuration:

{
  "apps": {
    "http": {
      "servers": {
        "srv0": {
          "listen": [":443"],
          "routes": [
            {
              "match": [{"host": ["example.com"]}],
              "handle": [
                {
                  "handler": "static_response",
                  "body": "Hello World!"
                }
              ],
              "terminal": true
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    "tls": {
      "automation": {
        "policies": [
          {
            "subjects": ["example.com"],
            "issuers": [
              {
                "module": "acme",
                "challenges": {
                  "dns": {
                    "provider": {
                      "name": "godaddy",
                      "api_key": "{env.GODADDY_API_KEY}",
                      "api_secret": "{env.GODADDY_API_SECRET}"
                    }
                  }
                }
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration Options

Option	Required	Default	Description
api_key	Yes	None	GoDaddy API Key
api_secret	Yes	None	GoDaddy API Secret
http_timeout	No	30s	HTTP request timeout

Usage Examples

Single Domain Certificate

example.com {
	tls {
		dns godaddy {
			api_key {env.GODADDY_API_KEY}
			api_secret {env.GODADDY_API_SECRET}
		}
	}
	respond "Single domain"
}

Wildcard Certificate

*.example.com {
	tls {
		dns godaddy {
  		api_key {env.GODADDY_API_KEY}
  		api_secret {env.GODADDY_API_SECRET}
  	}
  }
  respond "Wildcard domain"
}

Multi-Domain Certificate

example.com, www.example.com, api.example.com {
	tls {
		dns godaddy {
			api_key {env.GODADDY_API_KEY}
			api_secret {env.GODADDY_API_SECRET}
		}
	}
	respond "Multiple domains"
}

Troubleshooting

Common Errors

1. API Authentication Failed

   • Verify that your API key and secret are correct
   • Ensure the API key has necessary DNS management permissions

2. Domain Mismatch

   • Confirm the domain is managed in your GoDaddy account
   • Check domain spelling for accuracy

3. Network Timeout

   • Increase the http_timeout value
   • Check network connectivity

Debug Mode

Enable Caddy debug logging:

caddy run --config Caddyfile --adapter caddyfile --debug

DNS Propagation Issues

If DNS challenges are failing:

• Wait for DNS propagation (can take up to 10 minutes)
• Verify TXT records are being created correctly
• Check GoDaddy DNS management interface

API Rate Limits

GoDaddy imposes rate limits on their API:

• Production: 60 requests per minute
• OTE (testing): 60 requests per minute

The plugin automatically handles rate limiting with appropriate delays.

Security Considerations

• Store API credentials securely using environment variables
• Use production API keys only in production environments
• Regularly rotate API credentials
• Monitor API usage in GoDaddy developer dashboard

Testing

Unit Tests

go test ./...

Integration Testing

Set up test environment variables:

export GODADDY_API_KEY="test_key"
export GODADDY_API_SECRET="test_secret"
export TEST_DOMAIN="yourdomain.com"
go test -tags=integration ./...

Requirements

• Go 1.21 or later
• Valid GoDaddy domain and API credentials
• Internet connectivity for ACME and DNS API access

Compatibility

• Caddy v2.7.0 and later
• libdns v0.2.1 and later
• Go modules support

Performance

The plugin is optimized for:

• Minimal API calls during certificate issuance
• Efficient DNS record cleanup
• Concurrent certificate requests handling
• Low memory footprint

Monitoring

Enable structured logging to monitor plugin activity:

{
  "logging": {
    "logs": {
      "default": {
        "level": "INFO",
        "writer": {
          "output": "stdout"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please ensure:

1. Code follows Go coding standards
2. Include appropriate tests
3. Update documentation as needed
4. Follow semantic versioning for releases

Development Setup

1. Fork the repository
2. Clone your fork
3. Install dependencies: go mod download
4. Make changes
5. Run tests: go test ./...
6. Submit a pull request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For support:

1. Check this README documentation
2. Search existing GitHub Issues
3. Create a new Issue with detailed information
4. Join the Caddy Community Forum for general Caddy questions

Changelog

v1.0.0

• Initial release
• Basic GoDaddy DNS provider functionality
• ACME DNS-01 challenge support
• Wildcard certificate support

Related Projects

• Caddy - The web server this plugin extends
• libdns - DNS provider interface
• GoDaddy API Documentation

Acknowledgments

• Caddy development team for the excellent plugin architecture
• libdns project for standardized DNS provider interfaces
• GoDaddy for providing a comprehensive DNS API