Best Self Hosted Alternatives to NGINX Management Suite

Caddy is a modern, extensible web server platform commonly used as an HTTPS server and reverse proxy. It automates TLS certificate provisioning and renewal by default and supports HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, and HTTP/3.

Key Features

• Automatic HTTPS with certificate issuance and renewal (ACME)
• HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, and HTTP/3 support
• Reverse proxy with load balancing, health checks, retries, and pluggable transports
• Native JSON configuration with an admin REST API for dynamic, online config changes
• Caddyfile configuration format plus config adapters for other formats
• Built-in support for internal PKI use cases (local CA, internal names and IPs)
• Modular, plugin-based architecture with statically compiled extensions

Use Cases

• Securely serve static websites and web applications with minimal TLS setup
• Act as an edge reverse proxy for microservices with health checks and load balancing
• Automate certificate management for multi-tenant and customer-domain SaaS deployments

Limitations and Considerations

• Advanced deployments (dynamic config, clustering, custom modules) may require JSON config/API familiarity
• Some capabilities depend on selecting/building the appropriate modules for your environment

Caddy is a strong fit when you want a production-grade server that simplifies HTTPS and scales to many sites. Its configuration API and modular architecture make it suitable for both simple single-host setups and automated, large-scale environments.

Traefik Proxy is a modern HTTP reverse proxy and load balancer designed for dynamic, cloud-native environments. It discovers services from your orchestrator or service registry and automatically configures routing without requiring manual updates for each change.

Key Features

• Automatic service discovery and dynamic configuration from providers such as Docker and Kubernetes
• Layer 7 routing based on hostnames, paths, headers, and other request attributes
• Built-in HTTPS with automatic certificate provisioning and renewal via ACME
• Load balancing with multiple strategies plus health checks
• Support for WebSocket, HTTP/2, and gRPC traffic
• Observability features including metrics, structured access logs, and a web dashboard
• Exposes an administrative API for inspecting configuration and runtime state

Use Cases

• Ingress controller for Kubernetes clusters with dynamic routing to services
• Reverse proxy for Docker or Docker Compose stacks with automatic route updates
• Central edge proxy in microservice architectures to standardize TLS and traffic management

Limitations and Considerations

• Major version upgrades can introduce breaking configuration changes and may require migration steps

Traefik Proxy is well-suited for teams running frequently changing workloads that need reliable routing, TLS automation, and visibility. It fits both small homelab deployments and production platform engineering environments where dynamic service discovery is essential.

Nginx Proxy Manager is a web application packaged as a Docker image that provides an easy way to configure Nginx as a reverse proxy for your services. It focuses on simplifying SSL termination, host forwarding, and access control without requiring deep Nginx expertise.

Key Features

• Web-based admin interface for managing proxy hosts and related Nginx configuration
• Simple setup of forwarding domains, redirects, custom 404 hosts, and TCP/UDP streams
• Built-in Let’s Encrypt certificate issuance and automatic renewals, plus support for custom certificates
• Per-host access lists and basic HTTP authentication
• Advanced Nginx configuration fields for power users
• Multi-user management with permissions and an audit log

Use Cases

• Publish home-lab and internal web apps securely behind a single reverse proxy
• Centralize TLS certificate management and SSL termination for multiple services
• Add basic authentication and access restrictions in front of existing web applications

Limitations and Considerations

• Primarily intended to manage Nginx through its own UI; complex, highly customized Nginx setups may not map cleanly to the UI model

Nginx Proxy Manager is well-suited for homelabs and small deployments that want a straightforward, UI-driven approach to reverse proxying and TLS. It balances ease of use with optional advanced controls for users who need deeper Nginx customization.

NGINX is a high-performance HTTP web server that also acts as a reverse proxy, content cache, and load balancer. It is widely used to serve static content, terminate TLS, and front application services with efficient, event-driven networking.

Key Features

• HTTP web serving for static and index files, with virtual host support
• Reverse proxying with caching for upstream services (including FastCGI and other backends)
• Layer 7 and Layer 4 load balancing with health/fault-tolerance capabilities
• TLS/SSL support including SNI, and modern protocol support such as HTTP/2 and HTTP/3
• Rate limiting and connection limiting for basic traffic control
• Detailed access logging with buffering, rotation options, and syslog support
• Modular architecture supporting built-in and dynamically loadable modules

Use Cases

• Reverse proxy and TLS termination in front of web applications and APIs
• Load balancing traffic across multiple backend services for resilience and performance
• Serving static sites and cached assets to reduce application load

NGINX combines efficient resource usage with flexible configuration, making it a common foundation component for web infrastructure, edge proxying, and traffic management in small deployments through large-scale production environments.

Nginx UI is a self-hosted web interface for administering Nginx servers through a browser. It focuses on editing and validating Nginx configuration safely, managing certificates, and providing operational visibility via logs, terminal access, and system metrics.

Key Features

• Web-based editing for Nginx site and server configurations, including a visual block editor and code editor with completion
• Automatic configuration testing and Nginx reload after saving changes
• Built-in configuration backup with version comparison and restore
• Let’s Encrypt certificate issuance and automatic renewal
• Nginx log viewing from the UI
• Server monitoring dashboard (CPU, memory, load, disk)
• Cluster management with mirroring operations to multiple nodes
• Web terminal for server-side management tasks
• Two-factor authentication for securing sensitive actions
• Optional AI assistant features and agent integrations via MCP for automation workflows

Use Cases

• Manage one or more Nginx reverse proxies without editing configs manually over SSH
• Safely roll out and roll back Nginx configuration changes with versioned backups
• Centralize certificate lifecycle management (issue/renew) for Nginx-hosted sites

Limitations and Considerations

• Assumes a Debian-style Nginx config layout (sites-available/sites-enabled); other layouts may require adjustments

Nginx UI suits homelabs and small-to-medium deployments that want a practical Nginx control plane with safer edits, quicker certificate management, and basic observability. It is distributed as a single binary and is commonly deployed with Docker or system services for straightforward operations.

BunkerWeb is a next-generation, open-source web application firewall (WAF) that runs as an NGINX-based reverse proxy in front of your web services. It aims to provide secure-by-default protection for websites, applications, and APIs while staying easy to integrate into common deployment environments.

Key Features

• Reverse proxy web server built on NGINX for fronting multiple web services
• Built-in web security hardening (TLS configuration, HTTP security headers)
• Automated HTTPS certificate management with ACME/Let’s Encrypt
• Integrated ModSecurity WAF with OWASP Core Rule Set support
• Rate limiting and request/connection limiting to reduce abuse
• Automatic banning based on suspicious behavior and HTTP status patterns
• Bot protection with challenge mechanisms (for example JavaScript, cookie, CAPTCHA)
• IP reputation blocking via external lists and DNSBL
• Extensible plugin system for adding or customizing security capabilities
• Optional web UI for managing instances and configuration

Use Cases

• Protecting self-hosted websites and web apps behind a hardened reverse proxy
• Shielding APIs from common web attacks, abusive clients, and automated bots
• Standardizing HTTPS/TLS and baseline security policies across environments

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced capabilities are reserved for the commercial PRO offering
• As with any WAF, effective protection requires careful tuning to minimize false positives

BunkerWeb is a strong fit when you want an auditable, configurable WAF that can be deployed across Linux, containers, and Kubernetes. Its secure-by-default approach, NGINX foundation, and plugin model make it suitable for both homelabs and production environments.

iodine is a tunnel application that transports IPv4 traffic through DNS, using a client and server to create a virtual network interface and route IP packets over DNS queries and replies. It is commonly used in constrained networks where direct internet access is blocked but DNS is still permitted.

Key Features

• Client/server IP-over-DNS tunnel using a TUN/TAP virtual interface
• Works across multiple platforms (Linux, BSDs, macOS, and Windows)
• Supports multiple DNS record types for transport, with autodetection for best throughput
• Automatic probing of fragment/packet sizes to optimize performance
• Challenge-response login and basic peer filtering to reduce unauthorized injection
• Can fall back to raw UDP tunneling when direct UDP to port 53 is possible

Use Cases

• Remote connectivity from restricted networks that only allow DNS traffic
• Creating a temporary backchannel for administration and troubleshooting
• Running a second-layer VPN or SSH-over-tunnel for more secure transport

Limitations and Considerations

• Carries IPv4 payload only; tunneled traffic is not encrypted by default
• Throughput is constrained and often asymmetric, depending on DNS relays and policies
• Client and server typically need matching versions due to protocol compatibility

iodine is a pragmatic tool for establishing connectivity over DNS when other protocols are blocked, offering portability and performance-focused DNS transport choices. For security-sensitive scenarios, it is best used as a transport for an encrypted layer such as VPN or SSH.

HAProxy is a high-performance reverse proxy and load balancer designed to improve availability and scalability of TCP and HTTP-based services. It is widely used as an edge proxy to route traffic, terminate TLS, and enforce traffic policies for web applications and APIs.

Key Features

• Layer 4 (TCP) and Layer 7 (HTTP) proxying with flexible routing rules
• Load balancing algorithms and active health checks for backend pools
• TLS termination and modern HTTPS features (including HTTP/2 support)
• High availability options, including multi-process support and state synchronization features
• Rich observability via detailed logs, statistics, and runtime control interfaces
• Extensibility via Lua scripting and advanced traffic processing mechanisms

Use Cases

• Reverse proxy in front of web apps and microservices with TLS termination
• High-availability load balancer for clustered services and databases exposing TCP
• Traffic shaping, access control, and DDoS resilience at the edge

Limitations and Considerations

• Configuration is powerful but can be complex for advanced Layer 7 routing policies
• Some advanced features are version-dependent; production setups typically follow stable branches

HAProxy is a proven choice for performance-critical traffic management, combining efficient proxying with mature load-balancing capabilities. It fits well as a core component in both homelab and enterprise edge architectures where reliability and control are priorities.

Zoraxy is a general-purpose HTTP reverse-proxy and forwarding gateway designed for homelab and self-hosted services. It provides a web UI for configuring proxies, TLS, routing and runtime utilities so users can expose and manage services from a single gateway. (github.com)

Key Features

• HTTP reverse proxy supporting virtual directories, alias hostnames and custom headers. (github.com)
• Automatic WebSocket proxying and stream proxy support for TCP/UDP forwarding.
• TLS/SSL management with ACME (Let's Encrypt) support, auto-renew and SNI/SAN certificate handling; includes DNS challenge integrations. (github.com)
• Load balancing, basic auth, redirection rules and blacklist/whitelist controls (IP/CIDR/country). (github.com)
• Real-time analytics and uptime monitoring with instant network/visitor statistics and no-reload access control. (zoraxy.aroz.org)
• Plugin system and built-in utilities (mDNS scanner, Wake-on-LAN, IP/port scanners, debug forward proxy). (github.com)
• Web-based SSH terminal for in-browser administration. (github.com)

Use Cases

• Expose and route multiple self-hosted web apps (home server, NAS, media servers) behind a single, manageable reverse proxy. (github.com)
• Provide TLS/ACME certificate automation and DNS-challenge workflows for services without manual cert management. (github.com)
• Monitor service availability and traffic in real time, and run network utilities (scans, WOL) from the gateway UI. (zoraxy.aroz.org)

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced modules are community-maintained or seeking maintainers (notably ACME integration improvements and an extended logging/analysis module), which may affect feature completeness for large-scale deployments. (github.com)

Zoraxy is lightweight and targeted at homelab users and small deployments that need a single gateway for routing, TLS and basic observability. It is distributed with prebuilt binaries and Docker artifacts and can be built from source with Go, making it suitable for ARM/SBC and x86 environments. (zoraxy.aroz.org)

SWAG (Secure Web Application Gateway) is a LinuxServer.io-maintained container image that provides an Nginx web server and reverse proxy with automated TLS certificate issuance and renewal via an embedded ACME client. It is commonly used as a front door for self-hosted applications, handling HTTPS termination and reusable proxy configurations.

Key Features

• Nginx web server and reverse proxy for routing multiple apps behind one domain
• Automated certificate issuance and renewal using Certbot (ACME) with Let’s Encrypt or ZeroSSL
• Supports HTTP and DNS-based validation, including wildcard certificates (via DNS plugins)
• Includes preset reverse proxy configuration templates for many popular services
• Optional PHP support for serving dynamic web content
• Built-in fail2ban for intrusion prevention (with optional firewall rule integration)

Use Cases

• Expose multiple self-hosted services securely over HTTPS with subdomains
• Terminate TLS centrally and share generated certificates with other containers
• Host a small web site or landing page alongside reverse-proxied applications

Limitations and Considerations

• Certificate issuance depends on correct inbound port forwarding (HTTP validation) or supported DNS provider credentials (DNS validation)
• Some Certbot DNS plugins may require additional packages/mods if not included in the base image

SWAG is a practical choice when you want a repeatable, containerized Nginx reverse proxy setup with integrated ACME automation and extra security tooling. It fits especially well in Docker-based homelabs that rely on subdomains and standardized proxy templates.

GoDoxy is a high-performance reverse proxy and lightweight container orchestrator designed for self-hosters. It automatically discovers containerized services, creates routes, and exposes a Web UI for configuration, monitoring and logs.

Key Features

• Automatic route discovery from Docker/Podman containers and container labels
• Idle-sleep: stop idle containers and wake them on incoming traffic
• Connection- and request-level access control (IP/CIDR/GeoIP-based rules)
• Built-in server monitoring and system metrics (uptime, CPU, memory, disk)
• Access logging and periodic access summary notifications
• Automated TLS certificate management using DNS-01 (Let's Encrypt)
• HTTP reverse proxy and TCP/UDP port forwarding with rule-based routing
• Authentication integrations: OpenID Connect, ForwardAuth, CAPTCHA middleware
• Web UI with app dashboard, config editor, Docker logs viewer and metrics

Use Cases

• Host and route multiple self-hosted web apps on a single server with automatic Docker label-based routing
• Reduce resource use by putting little-used services to sleep and auto-waking them on demand
• Provide centralized access control, TLS automation and monitoring for home or small lab infrastructures

Limitations and Considerations

• GoDoxy is designed to run in host network mode; changing network mode is not supported and may break routing
• GeoIP-based ACL features require a MaxMind account and GeoIP database configuration to function fully
• Official builds target linux/amd64 and linux/arm64; other OS/architectures are not supported out of the box
• Some application patterns (e.g., containers exposing multiple unrelated ports) may not be handled automatically and require manual routing configuration

GoDoxy combines reverse-proxy features with lightweight container orchestration and an integrated Web UI to simplify routing, access control and monitoring for self-hosted environments. It is intended for users who want automatic container-aware routing, TLS automation and resource-saving idle-sleep capabilities.

GoDoxy is a lightweight, performance-focused reverse proxy designed for self-hosters, with automatic routing based on container metadata and a built-in Web UI. It can manage HTTPS certificates, apply access controls, and proxy traffic to services across single or multiple nodes.

Key Features

• Reverse proxy for HTTP services plus TCP/UDP port forwarding
• Automatic route discovery from Docker/Podman containers via labels, with hot-reload on changes
• Web UI with app dashboard, configuration editor, uptime and system metrics, and container log viewing
• Automatic TLS certificate management with Let's Encrypt (including DNS-01 challenge support)
• Access control lists (ACL) with request/connection level rules (for example IP/CIDR)
• SSO options via OpenID Connect and ForwardAuth integration
• Optional idle-sleep behavior to stop and wake workloads based on traffic (including support for Docker containers and Proxmox LXCs)

Use Cases

• Publish and secure multiple self-hosted web apps behind a single gateway with automated HTTPS
• Centralize routing and basic access control for homelab services using container labels
• Reduce resource usage by auto-sleeping seldom-used services and waking them on demand

Limitations and Considerations

• Some ACL features rely on MaxMind configuration for geo/timezone-based rules
• Designed to run in host network mode, which may constrain certain deployment patterns

GoDoxy fits well in homelab and small-server environments where container-driven routing, a convenient UI, and automated TLS are priorities. It combines reverse proxying, basic orchestration-like automation, and authentication integration to simplify operating self-hosted services.

Kite is a modern, lightweight Kubernetes dashboard for managing and monitoring one or more clusters through a web UI. It focuses on fast navigation, comprehensive resource coverage, and integrated observability features.

Key Features

• Multi-cluster management with kubeconfig discovery and fast cluster switching
• Comprehensive resource management (workloads, services, config, storage, nodes, and CRDs)
• Live YAML editing with Monaco-based editor features
• Built-in monitoring dashboards powered by Prometheus (CPU, memory, network)
• Real-time pod log streaming with filtering and search
• In-browser terminal access for pods and nodes
• Resource relationship views (for example, deployments and their pods)
• UI-based access control features including RBAC, user management, and OAuth integration
• Kube proxy functionality to access pods/services without manual port-forwarding

Use Cases

• Day-to-day cluster administration without relying solely on kubectl
• Multi-cluster operations for teams managing several Kubernetes environments
• Troubleshooting workloads using metrics, logs, and terminal access in one place

Limitations and Considerations

• The project is under rapid development; APIs and behavior may change

Kite is a strong option for teams wanting a clean Kubernetes dashboard with multi-cluster support and Prometheus-backed observability. It combines resource operations, live configuration editing, and troubleshooting tools into a single interface.

Ferron is a fast, memory-safe web server implemented in Rust that emphasizes ease of configuration, modern protocol support, and automatic TLS management. It targets sysadmins and developers who need a secure, high-concurrency HTTP/HTTPS server with simple, declarative configuration.

Key Features

• Memory-safe implementation written in Rust to reduce common memory-safety vulnerabilities.
• Automatic TLS certificate management using ACME and Let's Encrypt (including support for ACME EAB and DNS providers).
• Native support for modern protocols: HTTP/2 and experimental HTTP/3 for lower-latency multiplexed connections.
• Simple, human-friendly configuration using KDL (with a YAML-to-KDL translator for legacy configs) and sensible defaults.
• Powerful reverse-proxy features: load balancing, health checks, HTTP/2 backend connections, WebSocket support, and response/body transformation modules.
• Modular command-line tooling: ferron (server), ferron-passwd, ferron-yaml2kdl, ferron-precompress, and FerrBench for performance testing.
• Prebuilt installers and official Docker images plus build-from-source via Cargo for customization and packaging.

Use Cases

• Serve static sites and assets with automatic TLS and HTTP/2/HTTP/3 for modern browser performance.
• Front-end reverse proxy/load balancer for web applications (including health checks and backend multiplexing).
• Host PHP via FastCGI or run ASGI-backed web apps with straightforward configuration and built-in utilities.

Limitations and Considerations

• Ferron 2.x has historically been released in beta stages; some advanced features and module APIs may be marked experimental or have platform-specific behavior (for example differing async runtimes on Linux vs Windows).
• Platform-specific runtime choices and edge-case configuration differences (compile-time module selection, optional runtimes) can require reading build/packaging docs for production deployments.

Ferron provides a concise, modern alternative to legacy web servers by combining Rust safety, automatic TLS, and a compact configuration model. It is well suited for administrators seeking predictable high-concurrency behavior and straightforward deployment workflows.

NPMplus is a community fork of Nginx Proxy Manager that provides a web-based UI to manage Nginx as a reverse proxy for self-hosted services. It focuses on modern protocol support, stronger security defaults, and additional integrations while keeping a familiar NPM workflow.

Key Features

• Web UI to manage reverse proxy hosts and TLS certificates
• HTTP/3 (QUIC) support for HTTPS endpoints
• ACME profile support and improved handling of alternative ACME servers and options like OCSP and must-staple
• OIDC authentication support
• Hardened TLS settings, plus modern compression support (zstd and brotli)
• Optional integrations for CrowdSec and openappsec
• Built-in access logging analytics via GoAccess
• Additional hosting options such as file serving and optional PHP-FPM support

Use Cases

• Central reverse proxy for multiple homelab or internal services with automated certificates
• Adding OIDC-based login in front of protected services
• Running a hardened, modern Nginx proxy with HTTP/3 enabled

Limitations and Considerations

• Database backends beyond SQLite may work but are not recommended or supported by the project
• Requires exposing UDP on 443 to use HTTP/3 (QUIC)
• Supported CPU architectures are limited compared to upstream

NPMplus is a practical choice for users who like Nginx Proxy Manager’s UI but want more modern protocol support and additional security-focused features. It is especially suited for homelabs and small environments that need convenient TLS and proxy management with optional advanced integrations.

LanCache (Monolithic) is a containerized caching proxy designed for LAN environments to locally cache game and software downloads from many content delivery networks. It reduces repeated internet downloads by serving cached content to clients on your network.

Key Features

• Monolithic cache instance capable of caching multiple CDNs in a single deployment
• HTTP caching proxy optimized for large game and launcher downloads
• Designed to be paired with LanCache DNS for transparent client redirection to the cache
• Container-first deployment model suitable for homelabs and LAN events

Use Cases

• Speed up game installs and updates at LAN parties or esports venues
• Reduce bandwidth consumption in schools, offices, or shared housing with multiple gamers
• Improve download performance in labs or kiosks that frequently reimage and reinstall software

Limitations and Considerations

• Typically requires DNS override (or equivalent traffic steering) to be effective and transparent
• Cache effectiveness depends on CDN behavior and HTTPS delivery patterns, which may change over time

LanCache (Monolithic) is a practical solution when many machines repeatedly download the same large content. It is best suited to controlled networks where you can manage DNS and route client download traffic through a local cache.

CaddyManager is a web-based management interface for administering Caddy 2 servers from a single dashboard. It helps you organize multiple servers, edit and validate Caddyfiles, and control access for teams.

Key Features

• Multi-server dashboard to add, remove, and monitor multiple Caddy 2 instances
• Caddyfile configuration editor with syntax highlighting, templates, and validation workflows
• Authentication with JWT-based sessions and role-based access control
• API key management for programmatic access
• Audit logging to track user and system actions
• Dual database support: SQLite (default) or MongoDB
• Integrated API documentation via Swagger UI
• Runtime and application metrics endpoints suitable for Prometheus scraping

Use Cases

• Manage several Caddy reverse proxies across environments from one UI
• Maintain Caddyfile configurations with safer editing and validation
• Provide controlled access and traceability for teams operating Caddy infrastructure

Limitations and Considerations

• The project is in early development; configuration and data backups are strongly recommended before using in production

CaddyManager is a practical option for operators who prefer a graphical interface for Caddy administration while retaining API access, auditability, and flexible storage options. It is suited for homelabs and small-to-medium deployments, with MongoDB support for larger setups.

traefik-kop is a small Go-based discovery agent that reads Docker container labels on a local node and publishes equivalent service definitions to Redis so a single central Traefik instance (configured with a Redis provider) can route to services running on multiple Docker hosts.

Key Features

• Mirrors Traefik Docker provider logic: reads container labels and translates them into Traefik service/route definitions
• Publishes service definitions into Redis so a remote Traefik instance can consume them
• Flexible IP binding: explicit bind-ip, interface-derived IP, container networking overrides, or auto-detection
• Namespace and label-prefix filtering to target or isolate sets of containers
• Load balancer merging option to combine endpoints from multiple nodes for the same service
• Configurable via CLI flags or environment variables; supports redis auth, TTL, and poll interval

Use Cases

• Expose services from multiple non-swarm Docker hosts through a single public Traefik reverse proxy
• Centralized ingress routing for heterogenous Docker hosts where Traefik cannot run locally on every node
• Multi-tenant or environment separation using namespaces or custom label prefixes to control which containers are published

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires a reachable Redis instance and a Traefik instance configured to use the Redis provider
• Needs access to the Docker socket on each node; running with this access has security implications
• If redis-ttl is not used or load balancer merging is enabled, stale/backing IP entries can persist when node IPs change
• Some deployment modes (host networking, multiple port bindings) require explicit labels or host networking for correct port selection

traefik-kop is a pragmatic solution when you need Traefik-style label-driven routing across multiple Docker hosts without Swarm or Kubernetes. It is lightweight, configurable, and designed to integrate with existing Traefik Docker-provider semantics.

The Middleware Manager is a microservice that provides a web-based interface for defining, assigning, and managing Traefik middlewares, router settings, custom services, and plugins. It watches resources from either a Pangolin API or a direct Traefik API and generates Traefik dynamic configuration files to apply overrides and customizations.

Key Features

• Dual data-source support: integrate with a Pangolin API or connect directly to a Traefik API
• Middleware management: create, update, delete and attach Traefik middlewares with explicit priorities
• Service management: define custom Traefik services (LoadBalancer, Weighted, Mirroring, Failover) and assign them to resources
• Advanced router configuration: configure entrypoints, TLS SANs, TCP SNI rules, custom request headers, and router priorities
• Plugin hub: discover, install, and manage Traefik plugins from the UI
• Generates Traefik provider files (file-based dynamic configuration) and ensures correct cross-provider references
• Template libraries: pre-configured middleware and service templates for common patterns
• Real-time synchronization with the chosen data source and a responsive web UI (dark mode available)
• Persistence: stores configuration and state in an SQLite database
• Broad middleware support: ForwardAuth, BasicAuth, Headers, RateLimit, IP whitelisting, path manipulation, and more

Use Cases

• Enforce authentication, security headers, and access controls across services behind Traefik
• Apply rate limiting, IP allowlists, or custom routing rules without editing Traefik provider files manually
• Manage complex router/service overrides and install plugins centrally in Traefik or Pangolin-based stacks

Limitations and Considerations

• Persists to SQLite by default, which may not be optimal for very large or highly concurrent deployments
• Relies on file-based dynamic configuration and network access to the Traefik/Pangolin APIs; proper file mounts and API connectivity are required
• Plugin management depends on the Traefik plugin ecosystem and compatible Traefik versions

The Middleware Manager simplifies applying consistent middleware and routing policies across Traefik-managed resources, providing a central UI and template-driven workflow for common proxy configuration tasks.

Mantræ is a web-based configuration manager that generates Traefik dynamic configuration through a clean UI. It focuses on creating and editing routers, middlewares, and services so Traefik can fetch the resulting dynamic configuration instead of editing YAML/TOML by hand.

Key Features

• Visual editor for Traefik routers, services, entrypoints, rules, and middleware
• Middleware management including rate limiting, authentication, headers, and other common middleware types
• Agent mode to collect container labels from remote hosts and sync resources into a central configuration store
• DNS automation integrations for providers such as Cloudflare, PowerDNS, Technitium and Pi-hole to manage DNS records for routers
• Generates Traefik-compatible dynamic configuration files (YAML/TOML) for Traefik to consume
• Lightweight Go backend with a TypeScript/Svelte frontend designed for easy deployment (Docker images available)

Use Cases

• Centralize Traefik dynamic configuration across multiple hosts using agents to collect container labels
• Quickly create and manage routers and middleware without directly editing Traefik YAML/TOML files
• Automate DNS record creation for services exposed through Traefik using supported DNS providers

Limitations and Considerations

• Mantræ is not a monitoring dashboard and does not display Traefik runtime status or metrics; it only provides configuration management
• The project is under active development and may introduce breaking changes; evaluate stability before production deployment
• DNS provider support and agent features depend on available integrations and may require provider credentials and additional configuration

Mantræ is intended for teams that want a UI-first approach to building Traefik dynamic configuration and automating DNS. It simplifies repetitive configuration tasks while leaving Traefik as the runtime reverse proxy.