Charon

Your server, your rules—without the headaches.

Simply manage multiple websites and self-hosted applications. Click, save, done. No code, no config files, no PhD required.

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Why Charon?

You want your apps accessible online. You don't want to become a networking expert first.

The problem: Managing reverse proxies usually means editing config files, memorizing cryptic syntax, and hoping you didn't break everything.

Charon's answer: A web interface where you click boxes and type domain names. That's it.

• ✅ Your blog gets a green lock (HTTPS) automatically
• ✅ Your chat server works without weird port numbers
• ✅ Your admin panel blocks everyone except you
• ✅ Everything stays up even when you make changes

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🐕 Cerberus Security Suite

🕵️‍♂️ CrowdSec Integration

• Protects your applications from attacks using behavior-based detection and automated remediation.

🔐 Access Control Lists (ACLs)

• Define fine-grained access rules for your applications, controlling who can access what and under which conditions.

🧱 Web Application Firewall (WAF)

• Protects your applications from common web vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, XSS, and more using Coraza.

⏱️ Rate Limiting

• Protect your applications from abuse by limiting the number of requests a user or IP can make within a certain timeframe.

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✨ Top 10 Features

🎯 Point & Click Management

No config files. No terminal commands. Just click, type your domain name, and you're live. If you can use a website, you can run Charon.

🔐 Automatic HTTPS Certificates

Free SSL certificates that request, install, and renew themselves. Your sites get the green padlock without you lifting a finger.

🛡️ Enterprise-Grade Security Built In

Web Application Firewall, rate limiting, geographic blocking, access control lists, and intrusion detection via CrowdSec. Protection that "just works."

🔗 Smart Proxy Headers

Automatically adds standard headers (X-Real-IP, X-Forwarded-Proto, etc.) so your backend applications see real client IPs, enforce HTTPS correctly, and log accurately—with full backward compatibility for existing hosts.

🐳 Instant Docker Discovery

Already running apps in Docker? Charon finds them automatically and offers one-click proxy setup. No manual configuration required.

📊 Real-Time Monitoring & Logs

See exactly what's happening with live request logs, uptime monitoring, and instant notifications when something goes wrong.

📥 Migration Made Easy

Import your existing Caddy configurations with one click. Already invested in another reverse proxy? Bring your work with you.

⚡ Live Configuration Changes

Update domains, add security rules, or modify settings instantly—no container restarts needed.* Your sites stay up while you make changes.

🌍 Multi-App Management

Run dozens of websites, APIs, or services from a single dashboard. Perfect for homelab enthusiasts and small teams managing multiple projects.

🚀 Zero-Dependency Deployment

One Docker container. No databases to install. No external services required. No complexity—just pure simplicity.

💯 100% Free & Open Source

No premium tiers. No feature paywalls. No usage limits. Everything you see is yours to use, forever, backed by the MIT license.

^{* Note: Initial security engine setup (CrowdSec) requires a one-time container restart to initialize the protection layer. All subsequent changes happen live.}

Explore All Features →

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Quick Start

Docker Compose (Recommended)

Save this as docker-compose.yml:

services:
  charon:
    image: ghcr.io/wikid82/charon:latest
    container_name: charon
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
      - "443:443/udp"
      - "8080:8080"
    volumes:
      - ./charon-data:/app/data
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
    environment:
      - CHARON_ENV=production

Then run:

docker-compose up -d

Docker Run (One-Liner)

docker run -d \
  --name charon \
  -p 80:80 \
  -p 443:443 \
  -p 443:443/udp \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -v ./charon-data:/app/data \
  -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro \
  -e CHARON_ENV=production \
  ghcr.io/wikid82/charon:latest

What Just Happened?

1. Charon downloaded and started
2. The web interface opened on port 8080
3. Your websites will use ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS)

Open http://localhost:8080 and start adding your websites!

Upgrading? Run Migrations

If you're upgrading from a previous version with persistent data:

docker exec charon /app/charon migrate
docker restart charon

This ensures security features (especially CrowdSec) work correctly.

Important: If you had CrowdSec enabled before the upgrade, it will automatically restart after migration. You don't need to manually re-enable it via the GUI. See Migration Guide for details.

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Getting Help

📖 Full Documentation — Everything explained simply 🚀 5-Minute Guide — Your first website up and running 💬 Ask Questions — Friendly community help 🐛 Report Problems — Something broken? Let us know

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