Reverse Proxy

A reverse proxy like Nginx Proxy Manager, Traefik or Caddy gives each app a clean https:// URL on your own domain, automatically obtains Let's Encrypt certificates, and centralizes access control. It's an essential part of a tidy, secure self-hosted setup.

Without a reverse proxy you end up remembering a dozen different port numbers and juggling self-signed certificates; with one, every service gets a memorable hostname like photos.example.com and a valid certificate, and you expose only ports 80 and 443 instead of one per app. It's also the natural place to add a layer of authentication or single sign-on in front of apps that lack their own. Caddy is the simplest for config-as-code fans (automatic HTTPS with a tiny config), Nginx Proxy Manager offers a friendly point-and-click UI, and Traefik shines for dynamic Docker environments.