Awesome Tunneling: A Curated List of Self-Hostable Tunneling Solutions

Summary

This comprehensive list, `awesome-tunneling`, compiles ngrok, Cloudflare Tunnel, Tailscale, and ZeroTier alternatives, focusing on self-hosting options. It serves as a valuable resource for developers and self-hosters aiming to expose local webservers via public domain names with automatic HTTPS, even behind restrictive networks.

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Introduction

The awesome-tunneling repository is a meticulously curated list of tunneling software and services, serving as a comprehensive resource for alternatives to popular solutions like ngrok, Cloudflare Tunnel, Tailscale, and ZeroTier. With over 20,000 stars, this list primarily targets self-hosters and developers who need to expose local webservers via public domain names, complete with automatic HTTPS, even when operating behind NAT or other restricted networks. The maintainer's "dream" for a perfect tunneling tool, which integrates domain registration, automatic HTTPS, a non-root client, and a simple GUI, highlights the detailed criteria used for evaluating listed projects.

How to Use This List

Unlike a typical software repository, awesome-tunneling is a curated list, not a tool to install. To "use" it, simply navigate to the GitHub repository and explore the various categories of tunneling solutions. The list is organized into sections such as "Open source," "Commercial/Closed source," and "Overlay networks and other advanced tools," making it easy to find tools that fit specific needs. New additions to the list are generally required to have at least 100 GitHub stars, ensuring a level of community validation and maturity.

Notable Examples

The repository offers a wide array of options, catering to different preferences:

Cloudflare Tunnel: Recommended for most users due to its production quality and seamless integration with Cloudflare's ecosystem, offering free usage as a loss-leader.
frp: A highly-starred, comprehensive open-source alternative to ngrok, supporting UDP, P2P mode, and various multiplexing options.
Pangolin: A fully self-hostable tunneled reverse proxy management server with identity and access control, automated SSL, and a dashboard UI.
SirTunnel: The maintainer's own project, recommended for developers seeking a minimal, self-hosted, 0-config ngrok alternative leveraging Caddy and OpenSSH.
Tailscale & Nebula: Featured in the "Overlay networks" section, these represent advanced solutions for creating secure, peer-to-peer networks, with Tailscale built on WireGuard and Nebula offering a completely open-source alternative developed by Slack.

Why Use Awesome Tunneling?

awesome-tunneling is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to understand or implement tunneling solutions. It provides a centralized hub to discover and compare a vast range of tools, from simple SSH-based proxies to complex overlay networks. For self-hosters, it offers numerous open-source options to maintain control and privacy. Developers can quickly find solutions for exposing development environments, testing webhooks, or sharing work in progress, all while benefiting from features like automatic HTTPS and NAT traversal. The detailed descriptions and categorization help users make informed decisions based on their specific requirements for features, licensing, and self-hosting capabilities.