Hey folks,
I’m a full-stack dev who frequently switches between backend APIs and frontend UIs. Frustrated with the limitations of traditional proxies like Charles and Fiddler, I built something to fill the gaps — Lynx Proxy.
TL;DR
- ⚡ Modern HTTP/HTTPS/WebSocket proxy with real-time inspection
- 🧠 Programmable rule engine (AND/OR/NOT logic, match on headers, URL, body)
- 🖥️ Clean, web-based UI for live traffic monitoring and request filtering
- 🔄 Support for rewriting, redirecting, delaying, or blocking requests
- 🧰 Great for frontend/backend debugging, traffic routing, edge case testing
- 🔗 GitHub Repo
Why I Built It
Charles and Fiddler are solid tools, but I found them lacking for modern, automation-heavy workflows:
- The UI feels dated
- Rules are limited or hard to maintain
- Hard to build dynamic, conditional behaviors
Lynx Proxy aims to be a developer-first tool that’s programmable, extendable, and intuitive to use.
Key Features
🧠 Flexible Rule Engine
Match requests using headers, methods, URL patterns, or even body content. Compose rules with AND/OR/NOT logic to do things like:
- Block or delay specific requests
- Add/remove/modify headers
- Redirect or rewrite paths based on conditions
🖥️ Real-Time Web Dashboard
View live traffic in a fast, responsive UI. Automatically scrolls and updates as requests come in. Great for debugging or monitoring in high-throughput apps.
🔄 No-Restart Request Rewriting
Update rules on the fly without restarting. Useful for testing different flows or redirecting traffic between staging/prod/dev.
Use Cases
- Debugging frontend/backend integration issues
- Simulating network delays or API failures
- Redirecting or modifying traffic in development environments
- Selective blocking of 3rd-party scripts or endpoints
- Observing and inspecting encrypted HTTPS / WebSocket traffic
What Makes It Different?
| Feature | Lynx Proxy | Charles/Fiddler |
|---|---|---|
| Modern UI | ✅ | ❌ |
| Logical Rule Combinations | ✅ (AND/OR/NOT) | ⚠️ Limited |
| Live Rule Editing | ✅ No restart | ⚠️ Sometimes required |
| Open Source | ✅ | ❌ |
If you’ve ever wished your proxy could do more — whether to debug, redirect, or simulate weird edge cases — give Lynx Proxy a try.
Would love to hear:
- What would you use a programmable proxy for?
- What’s missing from the tools you use today?
The project is under active development, so if you have suggestions, feedback, or feature requests — feel free to open an issue!
Thanks for checking it out!
🔗 https://github.com/suxin2017/lynx-server
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