Alternatives to Zoraxy

Caddy

64,724

Apache-2.0

Caddy is a modern web server that prioritizes security and ease of use. With automatic HTTPS as a core feature, it eliminates the complexity of SSL certificate management while providing powerful reverse proxy capabilities and a simple configuration syntax that makes web server administration accessible to developers and system administrators alike.

Key Features

Automatic HTTPS:
- Automatic SSL certificate provisioning
- Let's Encrypt integration out of the box
- Automatic certificate renewal
- ACME protocol support for various CAs
- Custom certificate authority support
- Zero-configuration SSL for most use cases
Modern Protocol Support:
- Full HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 support
- HTTP/3 (QUIC) protocol implementation
- WebSocket proxying and handling
- gRPC service proxying
- Server-Sent Events (SSE) support
- Protocol upgrade handling
Powerful Reverse Proxy:
- Intelligent load balancing algorithms
- Active and passive health checks
- Circuit breaker pattern implementation
- Automatic retry with backoff
- Request routing and rewriting
- Upstream failover handling
Simple Configuration:
- Human-readable Caddyfile format
- JSON configuration support
- RESTful admin API
- Hot configuration reloading
- Zero-downtime configuration updates
- Environment variable integration
Performance Optimization:
- HTTP/2 server push capabilities
- Built-in compression (gzip, zstd, brotli)
- Efficient static file serving
- Automatic cache headers
- Connection pooling and reuse
- Memory-efficient request handling
Security Features:
- Security headers by default
- Rate limiting and throttling
- IP-based access control
- Basic and JWT authentication
- Authorization middleware
- Request sanitization
Plugin Ecosystem:
- Modular plugin architecture
- Community-contributed plugins
- Custom plugin development
- Runtime plugin loading
- Plugin marketplace
- Enterprise plugin support

Technical Specifications

Language: Go
Protocols: HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, HTTP/3, WebSocket
Platforms: Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD
License: Apache-2.0
Package Formats: Binary, deb, rpm, Docker
Configuration: Caddyfile, JSON, API

Use Cases

Static Websites: Simple static site hosting with automatic HTTPS
Reverse Proxy: Load balancing and proxying to backend services
API Gateway: API routing and management
Development Servers: Local development with HTTPS
Microservices: Service mesh and inter-service communication
Content Delivery: Fast static content serving

Unique Advantages

Zero-Config HTTPS: Automatic SSL certificates without manual intervention
Simple Configuration: Human-readable configuration format
Modern Architecture: Built with Go for performance and reliability
Security by Default: Secure defaults and automatic security features
Single Binary: Easy deployment with no external dependencies
Active Development: Regular updates and feature additions

Based on the Caddy GitHub repository, this tool revolutionizes web server administration by making HTTPS automatic and configuration simple, making it ideal for developers and organizations who want a modern, secure web server without the complexity of traditional solutions.

Traefik

55,038

MIT

Traefik is a modern, cloud-native reverse proxy and load balancer that simplifies the deployment and management of microservices. With automatic service discovery, dynamic configuration, and built-in SSL management, it eliminates the complexity of traditional reverse proxy setups while providing enterprise-grade features.

Key Features

Automatic Service Discovery:
- Docker container discovery with labels
- Kubernetes ingress controller with CRDs
- Consul service mesh integration
- Etcd key-value store support
- File-based configuration watching
- Dynamic configuration updates
Intelligent Load Balancing:
- Multiple load balancing algorithms
- Active and passive health checks
- Circuit breaker pattern implementation
- Automatic retry with exponential backoff
- Rate limiting and throttling
- Sticky sessions support
Automatic SSL Management:
- Let's Encrypt certificate automation
- Automatic certificate renewal
- Wildcard certificate support
- Custom certificate integration
- SNI (Server Name Indication) support
- Multiple certificate resolvers
Advanced Routing:
- Path-based routing with regex support
- Host-based routing and virtual hosting
- Header-based routing decisions
- Query parameter routing
- Request method routing
- Priority-based rule matching
Middleware Ecosystem:
- Authentication middleware (Basic, Digest, Forward Auth)
- Rate limiting and throttling
- Request/response transformation
- CORS handling
- Compression and caching
- Custom middleware development
Observability & Monitoring:
- Real-time web dashboard
- Prometheus metrics export
- Jaeger tracing integration
- Comprehensive access logging
- Health check monitoring
- Performance analytics
Cloud-Native Features:
- Container-first design
- Kubernetes Custom Resource Definitions
- Service mesh capabilities
- Multi-cloud deployment support
- Auto-scaling integration
- GitOps workflow support

Technical Specifications

Language: Go
Protocols: HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, gRPC, TCP, UDP
Platforms: Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Kubernetes
License: MIT
Package Formats: Binary, Docker, Helm charts
Configuration: Labels, annotations, files, API

Use Cases

Microservices: Service discovery and routing for microservice architectures
Container Orchestration: Kubernetes and Docker Swarm ingress controller
API Gateway: API routing, rate limiting, and authentication
Edge Proxy: Edge routing and load balancing
Development Environments: Dynamic routing for development services
Multi-cloud: Consistent routing across multiple cloud providers

Unique Advantages

Zero Configuration: Automatic service discovery eliminates manual configuration
Dynamic Updates: Real-time configuration updates without restarts
Cloud Native: Built specifically for containerized and cloud environments
Developer Friendly: Simple label-based configuration
Enterprise Ready: Production-grade features with high availability
Active Community: Strong community support and regular updates

Based on the Traefik GitHub repository, this tool revolutionizes reverse proxy management by making it dynamic and automatic, perfectly suited for modern containerized applications and microservice architectures where services are constantly changing and scaling.

Nginx Proxy Manager

26,531

MIT

Nginx Proxy Manager transforms the complexity of Nginx configuration into a simple, intuitive web interface. It provides all the power of Nginx reverse proxy capabilities while eliminating the need for manual configuration file editing, making advanced proxy features accessible to users of all skill levels.

Key Features

Intuitive Web Interface:
- Clean, modern dashboard design
- Easy proxy host creation and management
- Visual SSL certificate management
- Real-time status monitoring
- User-friendly configuration options
- Mobile-responsive design
Comprehensive Reverse Proxy:
- HTTP and HTTPS proxy configuration
- Load balancing across multiple backends
- WebSocket proxying support
- Custom header manipulation
- Path-based routing and rewriting
- Upstream health monitoring
Automated SSL Management:
- Let's Encrypt certificate automation
- Custom SSL certificate upload
- Automatic certificate renewal
- Wildcard certificate support
- SSL termination and passthrough
- Certificate monitoring and alerts
Access Control & Security:
- IP-based access lists and whitelisting
- Password protection for proxy hosts
- User authentication and management
- Role-based access control
- Security header configuration
- Rate limiting and throttling
Advanced Configuration:
- Custom Nginx configuration snippets
- Stream (TCP/UDP) proxying
- Advanced caching options
- Compression settings
- Custom error pages
- Nginx module integration
Monitoring & Logging:
- Real-time proxy status monitoring
- Comprehensive access logging
- Error log analysis
- Performance metrics tracking
- Health check monitoring
- Alert and notification system
Easy Deployment:
- Docker container deployment
- Docker Compose configuration
- Database integration (SQLite/MySQL)
- Backup and restore functionality
- Multi-architecture support
- Simple upgrade process

Technical Specifications

Base: Nginx
Interface: Web-based management
Deployment: Docker containers
Database: SQLite, MySQL, MariaDB
License: MIT
Platforms: Linux, Docker

Use Cases

Home Lab Management: Easy reverse proxy setup for home services
Small Business: Simple proxy management for business applications
Development Environments: Quick proxy setup for development services
Self-hosted Services: Centralized access to multiple self-hosted applications
SSL Management: Automated certificate management for multiple domains
Team Collaboration: Shared proxy management with team access

Unique Advantages

No Command Line: Complete management through web interface
Beginner Friendly: Accessible to users without Nginx expertise
Automated SSL: Hassle-free Let's Encrypt certificate management
Visual Management: Intuitive interface for complex configurations
Docker Native: Designed for containerized environments
Active Community: Strong community support and regular updates

Based on the Nginx Proxy Manager GitHub repository, this tool democratizes advanced reverse proxy capabilities by providing a user-friendly interface that makes Nginx's powerful features accessible to everyone, regardless of their technical expertise.