ProxyBoy

Free plan Windows

What ProxyBoy is

ProxyBoy is a free, Windows-native proxy for debugging HTTP and HTTPS traffic. It captures requests and responses so users can inspect and modify them, including their headers, bodies, timing, and metadata. The inspector supports GraphQL and protobuf/gRPC decoding. Other tools include breakpoints, capture rules, request composition, response mocking, throttling, local and remote mapping, script rules, and WebSocket inspection.

ProxyBoy can use upstream HTTP or SOCKS5 proxies and import or export captures in HAR format. Its embedded AI assistant, powered by the GitHub Copilot SDK, can search captured traffic, analyze patterns, create rules, and export data. The proxy works without a GitHub Copilot subscription, but the assistant requires one.

The maker describes ProxyBoy as a personal, experimental project rather than a mature production-ready proxy. It requires Windows 10 or 11, and its system proxy integration uses the Windows registry. For HTTPS inspection, it creates a root certificate locally, installs it in the Windows certificate store, and stores it in the user's profile; the certificate does not leave the machine. The README documents running it from source with Node.js 20 or later, npm install, and npm start, or building an installer with npm run build. The repository identifies it as MIT licensed and names Pedro Perez as the maker.

Who it suits

ProxyBoy suits Windows developers who want to capture, inspect, and change HTTP or HTTPS traffic, including GraphQL, protobuf, and gRPC traffic. Its maker describes it as a personal experimental project and recommends a mature production-ready tool for production use.

What it does well

Free to use, with an MIT license.
Inspect and modify requests and responses, including WebSocket traffic.
Supports GraphQL, protobuf, and gRPC inspection.
Can chain upstream HTTP or SOCKS5 proxies.
Creates and stores its HTTPS inspection certificate locally.

What to know first

Windows 10 or 11 is required.
The maker says it is not production-ready.
No reverse proxy mode or first-class HTTP/2 support.
The AI assistant requires a GitHub Copilot subscription.

Getting started

Visit https://github.com/pjperez/proxyboy.
Use a Windows 10 or 11 system.
Install Node.js 20 or later.
Run npm install, then npm start.
To build an installer, run npm run build; it is created in out/make/.
Use the proxy without a GitHub Copilot subscription, or subscribe to Copilot to use the AI assistant.

Verdict

Pick ProxyBoy if you need a free Windows tool for debugging HTTP traffic and want built-in traffic rules, editing, or optional AI analysis. Look elsewhere for a production-ready proxy, reverse proxy mode, or first-class HTTP/2 support.

Questions

Does ProxyBoy cost anything?

ProxyBoy is free.

Which operating systems does it support?

The README lists Windows 10 and 11 as prerequisites.

Do I need GitHub Copilot to use ProxyBoy?

The proxy works without a GitHub Copilot subscription. The embedded AI assistant requires one.

What does ProxyBoy inspect?

It inspects HTTP and HTTPS requests and responses, including headers, bodies, timing, and metadata. It supports GraphQL, protobuf/gRPC, and WebSocket inspection.

Can ProxyBoy use another proxy or exchange captures?

It supports upstream HTTP or SOCKS5 proxy chaining and imports and exports traffic in HAR format.

Is ProxyBoy suitable for production use?

The maker describes it as a personal experimental project, not a mature production-ready proxy, and recommends a mature tool for production use.

Facts from ProxyBoy's own pages

AI assistant: Its embedded GitHub Copilot assistant can search traffic, analyze patterns, create rules, and export data. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
AI integration: The embedded AI assistant is powered by the GitHub Copilot SDK and can search captured traffic, analyze patterns, create rules, and export data. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
AI prerequisite: The proxy works without a GitHub Copilot subscription, but the AI assistant requires one. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
AI requirement: The proxy works without a GitHub Copilot subscription, but the AI assistant requires one. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Certificate handling: ProxyBoy generates its HTTPS inspection root certificate locally, stores it in the user's profile, and says it never leaves the machine. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Data exchange: It supports importing and exporting captures in standard HAR format. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Distribution: The README documents installing dependencies and running from source, and building an installer whose output goes to out/make/. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Experimental status: The maker describes ProxyBoy as a personal, experimental project and says it is not a mature, production-ready proxy. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
HTTPS limitations: The README notes that certificate pinning or HSTS preload can interfere with SSL inspection and that Cloudflare browser challenges will typically fail through a MITM proxy. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Integrations: ProxyBoy integrates with the Windows system proxy and supports HTTP or SOCKS5 upstream proxy chaining. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Intended user: The maker describes ProxyBoy as a personal, experimental Windows-native alternative for HTTP debugging and recommends a mature production-ready tool for production use. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
License: ProxyBoy is released under the MIT license. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Limitations: The project says it is Windows-only, has no reverse proxy mode, and its capture and inspection are oriented around HTTP/1.x rather than first-class HTTP/2 support. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Maker: The GitHub profile identifies the maker as Pedro Perez and lists Barcelona as the location. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Other integrations: ProxyBoy supports upstream HTTP or SOCKS5 proxies and imports and exports traffic in HAR format. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Other limitations: Map Local maps a rule to one file, and certificate pinning, HSTS preload, or Cloudflare browser challenges may prevent interception. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Proxy limitations: The README says ProxyBoy has no reverse proxy mode, is oriented around HTTP/1.x rather than first-class HTTP/2, and maps local rules to a single file. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Purpose: ProxyBoy is a Windows-native MITM HTTP/HTTPS debugging proxy that captures, inspects, and modifies network traffic. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Security: For HTTPS inspection, ProxyBoy generates a root CA locally, installs it in the Windows certificate store, and stores it in the user's profile; the certificate does not leave the machine. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Setup: The README gives source-based setup instructions using Node.js 20+, npm install, and npm start, and says npm run build creates an installer in out/make/. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Traffic controls: Features include breakpoints, capture rules, local and remote mapping, network throttling, and request composition. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Traffic inspection: The inspector displays request and response headers, bodies, timing, and metadata, and supports GraphQL, Protobuf, and gRPC inspection. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Traffic tools: Features include request and response inspection, GraphQL awareness, protobuf/gRPC decoding, throttling, breakpoints, local and remote mapping, and script rules. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Windows support: The README lists Windows 10/11 as a prerequisite and says system proxy integration uses the Windows registry. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026

Where ProxyBoy stands on Freedom251

Web Debugging Proxies#21 of 27