Proxyfor

What Proxyfor is

Proxyfor is a free, open-source proxy command-line tool for capturing and inspecting HTTP, HTTPS, WebSocket and secure WebSocket traffic. It supports forward and reverse proxy modes, with both a terminal user interface and a web user interface. Requests and responses are captured as a stream without blocking traffic. Users can filter and search captures, then export them as Markdown, cURL or HAR files. The CLI can filter HTTP(S) traffic using a regular expression that matches the method and URI, or by content type. Proxyfor also supports WebSocket inspection. To inspect HTTPS traffic, the target device needs Proxyfor’s CA certificate installed; the project describes a built-in certificate installation app. The project offers installation through Cargo or Docker, as well as downloadable binaries for macOS, Linux and Windows. Its README documents a Docker setup that mounts a configuration directory and exposes port 8080. Proxyfor is available for Linux, macOS, self-hosted use, web and Windows. Its source is available under either the MIT License or Apache License 2.0, at the user’s option.

Who it suits

Proxyfor suits developers and other technical users who need to capture and inspect HTTP(S) or WebSocket traffic through a proxy. It is a fit for users who want terminal or web interfaces, searchable captures and export options, and can install a CA certificate on a target device when inspecting HTTPS.

Limits

Inspecting HTTPS requires installing Proxyfor’s CA certificate on the target device. The CLI filters HTTP(S) traffic by a regular expression matching method and URI, or by content type.

Getting started

1. Choose an installation route: Cargo, Docker or a downloadable binary for macOS, Linux or Windows.
2. For Docker, follow the documented setup with a mounted configuration directory and port 8080 exposed.
3. Run Proxyfor in the desired forward or reverse proxy mode.
4. Use the terminal or web interface to capture traffic, then filter, search or export it.
5. For HTTPS inspection, install Proxyfor’s CA certificate on the target device using the described certificate installation app.

Verdict

Choose Proxyfor if you need an open-source proxy for inspecting HTTP(S) and WebSocket traffic, with terminal and web interfaces and several export formats. HTTPS inspection requires installing its CA certificate on each target device, so account for that setup when planning to inspect encrypted traffic.