caddyserver/caddy · error

%s:%d: unrecognized directive: %s

Error message

%s:%d: unrecognized directive: %s

What it means

Error "%s:%d: unrecognized directive: %s" thrown in caddyserver/caddy.

Source

Thrown at caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/httptype.go:136

		}

		// evaluate each directive ("segment") in this block
		for _, segment := range sb.block.Segments {
			dir := segment.Directive()

			if strings.HasPrefix(dir, matcherPrefix) {
				// matcher definitions were pre-processed
				continue
			}

			dirFunc, ok := registeredDirectives[dir]
			if !ok {
				tkn := segment[0]
				message := "%s:%d: unrecognized directive: %s"
				if !sb.block.HasBraces {
					message += "\nDid you mean to define a second site? If so, you must use curly braces around each site to separate their configurations."
				}
				return nil, warnings, fmt.Errorf(message, tkn.File, tkn.Line, dir)
			}

			h := Helper{
				Dispenser:    caddyfile.NewDispenser(segment),
				options:      options,
				warnings:     &warnings,
				matcherDefs:  matcherDefs,
				parentBlock:  sb.block,
				groupCounter: gc,
				State:        state,
				BlockState:   state,
			}

			results, err := dirFunc(h)
			if err != nil {
				return nil, warnings, fmt.Errorf("parsing caddyfile tokens for '%s': %v", dir, err)
			}

View on GitHub (pinned to 50e54ee279)

Solutions

1. Fix the directive name spelling, or remove the line if it is not a valid directive.
2. Check the Caddy documentation for the correct directive name and ensure the needed module is built in.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/httptype.go:136 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/6202fbc43eb4675f. Report an issue: GitHub.