caddyserver/caddy · error

plaintext is required

Error message

plaintext is required

What it means

Error "plaintext is required" thrown in caddyserver/caddy.

Source

Thrown at modules/caddyhttp/caddyauth/command.go:138

			if err != nil {
				return caddy.ExitCodeFailedStartup, err
			}

			if !bytes.Equal(plaintext, confirmation) {
				return caddy.ExitCodeFailedStartup, fmt.Errorf("password does not match")
			}
		} else {
			rd := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
			plaintext, err = rd.ReadBytes('\n')
			if err != nil {
				return caddy.ExitCodeFailedStartup, err
			}

			plaintext = plaintext[:len(plaintext)-1] // Trailing newline
		}

		if len(plaintext) == 0 {
			return caddy.ExitCodeFailedStartup, fmt.Errorf("plaintext is required")
		}
	}

	var hash []byte
	var hashString string
	switch algorithm {
	case bcryptName:
		hash, err = BcryptHash{cost: bcryptCost}.Hash(plaintext)
		hashString = string(hash)
	case argon2idName:
		time, err := fs.GetUint32("argon2id-time")
		if err != nil {
			return caddy.ExitCodeFailedStartup, fmt.Errorf("failed to get argon2id time parameter: %w", err)
		}
		memory, err := fs.GetUint32("argon2id-memory")
		if err != nil {
			return caddy.ExitCodeFailedStartup, fmt.Errorf("failed to get argon2id memory parameter: %w", err)
		}

View on GitHub (pinned to 50e54ee279)

Solutions

1. Provide the plaintext password via --plaintext or when prompted by 'caddy hash-password'.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at modules/caddyhttp/caddyauth/command.go:138 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of caddyserver/caddy@50e54ee279 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/88d4a79e111473ea. Report an issue: GitHub.