I used to be a very heavy coffee drinker. My coffee consumption lowered significantly as I started drinking alcohol more and more -- I guess trading one drug/behavior with another one, in some aspects at least. When I got sober, I recognized a clear desire for more coffee again, and I did start to drink more. What helped was that I had a lot of anxiety in early sobriety that was made worse by too much coffee, so I cut down on the coffee again because I often could not think straight and focus under the influence of more than 2 cups of coffee in the morning. I've been able to stick with that on most days, but occasionally I do binge on it especially when I'm in some place where it's being offered constantly (eg. conferences and some work meetings). Some days, I don't have coffee at all and it's not a noticeable issue. I also have other behaviors I still tend to binge on, that can sometimes be disruptive. What often helps is to observe what mental states trigger these desires... just like getting familiar with alcoholic triggers and urges. Then try to work on dealing with the triggering mindsets or events differently -- I find this to be easier and more effective than trying to control and limit my reactions only. I also tried replacing caffeinated coffee with decaf, tea, or other drinks like juices, smoothies -- that just does not seem to work for me as I don't desire those the same way. So there is definitely a lot about the actual effect of coffee for me. What I do seem to like to sip on all day, strangely, is water. So there is always a water bottle with me... but I sometimes limit myself due to too many evacuation needs
I would say, if moderating coffee is difficult, and you worry about this, cut it out completely. Maybe do it cold turkey -- a few days of discomfort but might be more efficient?