Install Varnish Cache on Windows with cygwin

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This post was imported from GitHub Gist.

What is Varnish Cache?

Varnish Cache is HTTP cache software that maximizes the speed of the content delivery from your web applications to the users.

Build instructions with cygport packages (for development)

Cygport source packages can be build using cygport program. Cygport can be installed using cygwin setup.exe.

• Install CYGWIN environment with cygport tool
• Download cygport varnish-*-src.tar.xz varnish package files from SourceForge
• Uncompress tar.xz files to /usr/src directory (All files!)
• Enter the directory in cygwin: cd /cygdrive/c/cygwin64/usr/src

• Execute cygport commands:

  cygport varnish-{version}.cygport prep
  cygport varnish-{version}.cygport compile
  cygport varnish-{version}.cygport install 
  

• Compiled binaries are copied to varnish-{version}/inst

In my case:

cd /cygdrive/c/cygwin64/usr/src
cygport varnish-4.1.0-1.cygport prep
cygport varnish-4.1.0-1.cygport compile
cygport varnish-4.1.0-1.cygport install

Install Full Cygwin environment with varnish package (for production)

The tar.xz package file is installed inside Cygwin environment using cygwin installer:

• 32 bits installer: https://cygwin.com/setup-x86.exe
• 64 bits installer: https://cygwin.com/setup-x86_64.exe

Follow this steps:

• Download setup-x64.exe (32 bits) or setup-x86_64.exe (64 bits) at localhost.
• Install CYGWIN enviroment executing installer.

On package selection list, select varnish package from package list in Web category, package will be download from cygwin servers:

Install varnishd as a Windows service

Run as an administrator:

cygrunsrv --install varnishd --path /cygdrive/c/cygwin64/usr/sbin/varnishd.exe

or

cygrunsrv --install varnish --path /cygdrive/c/cygwin64/usr/sbin/varnishd.exe -a "-P /cygdrive/c/cygwin64/var/varnish/varnish.pid -f /cygdrive/c/cygwin64/etc/varnish/default.vcl -a :81 -T 127.0.0.1:6082 -t 120 -S /cygdrive/c/cygwin64/etc/varnish/secret -s file,/cygdrive/c/cygwin64/var/varnish/varnish_storage.bin,2G -F"

Uninstall varnishd as a Windows service

Run as an administrator:

cygrunsrv --remove varnishd

Start varnishd as a Windows service

cygrunsrv --start varnishd -f /usr/local/etc/varnish/default.vcl -s malloc,1G -T 127.0.0.1:2000

or

cygrunsrv --start varnish

Stop varnishd as a Windows service

cygrunsrv --stop

Helpful resources

• Where is the varnish daemon?
• How to use cygrunsrv

You liked the tutorial? Interested in coding together? Feel free to contact me.