How can I find out which web server a website uses?

Enter the URL into the web server detector. It reads the Server response header and compares behavioral fingerprints — header order, error page styles, and protocol quirks — to identify software like Nginx, Apache, LiteSpeed, or Cloudflare.

How does the web server detector work?

Web servers usually identify themselves in the Server response header, and sometimes in headers like X-Powered-By. The detector fetches the page headers and matches them against known server signatures.

Why is the server sometimes hidden?

Security-conscious sites remove or mask the Server header to avoid advertising their software to attackers. CDNs and proxies in front of the origin can also replace the header with their own.

What is the difference between nginx and Apache?

Both are popular open-source web servers. nginx is known for high concurrency with low memory use and often sits in front as a reverse proxy, while Apache is known for flexibility and its huge module ecosystem.

Can it detect the server behind a CDN?

When a CDN like Cloudflare sits in front, the visible Server header usually belongs to the CDN edge, not the origin. The tool reports what it can see and says so when the origin is masked.

Does it detect the operating system?

No, it identifies the web server software only. The operating system is rarely exposed in headers on a properly configured server.

TECHNOLOGY DETECTION TOOLS · FREE ONLINE TOOL

Web Server Detector

Reveal the web server software behind any siteType a URL and this checker asks the server a polite question: who are you? It reads response headers to identify the software serving the site, from nginx and Apache to LiteSpeed, Caddy, or Cloudflare in front.

✓ Free to use✓ No sign-up✓ Ready in your browser

// WEB SERVER DETECTOR · GET STARTED

Use Web Server Detector

Reveal the web server software behind any site

// WEB SERVER DETECTOR · HOW IT WORKS

How to use the Web Server Detector

Enter URL

Enter the website URL (e.g. example.com).

Read headers

Click "Detect server" to read the response headers.

See the server

See the identified server software with evidence.

// WEB SERVER DETECTOR · ABOUT THIS TOOL

About the Web Server Detector

Every web server introduces itself in the Server response header, from nginx and Apache to LiteSpeed, IIS and Caddy. This free detector fetches page headers and matches them against a signature list, so you can see exactly what software answers requests for any public site.

It is a quick way to sanity-check your own stack or research competitors, and it reports uncertainty honestly when the header is masked or belongs to a CDN edge instead of guessing.

Where it helps most

Infrastructure questions answered from headers.

Survey the landscape

System administrators survey which server software the top sites in a niche run, informing infrastructure choices better than benchmarks alone.

Baseline security

Security-minded teams run it as a baseline step, since a server broadcasting its exact version number is information worth hiding.

Debug odd behavior

Developers debugging odd behavior confirm the production server matches local testing, since nginx and Apache handle redirects and caching differently.

Plan migrations

Migration planners check the target environment first, so rewrite rules and configs are written for the right server from day one.

Reading headers honestly

What servers advertise, and what silence means.

Version strings shown

It reports the server name, version strings when exposed, plus extra hints like X-Powered-By headers suggesting the application stack behind it.

Silence is good

Many hardened servers suppress or spoof the Server header, so a missing version usually means the administrator configured things properly.

Proxies answer instead

Cloudflare answers in place of the origin server, so its headers are what you see and the origin software stays hidden by design.

Web Server Detector: built for trust

Reports what is actually advertised and notes when a header is silent, rather than guessing. Pair with a hosting check for the full lower stack.

// WEB SERVER DETECTOR · COMMON QUESTIONS

Web Server Detector FAQs

How do I find out what web server a site uses?

Read its response headers. The Server header usually names the software, and this checker fetches it for you, reporting nginx, Apache, LiteSpeed, IIS, Caddy or a fronting proxy like Cloudflare.

Why would a server hide its version?

Does the server software really affect speed?

Can it detect the server behind Cloudflare?

What is the X-Powered-By header?

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