How To Properly Document Your Homemade Proxy Setup

When building a custom proxy from scratch, comprehensive notes are indispensable — not merely to help you later but for any team member or maintainer who inherits the project. Begin with a clear statement of intent. Explain why you built it, what problem it solves, and what kind of traffic it handles. This overview accelerates onboarding for anyone reviewing the system.



Detail the component layout. Explain each part — whether it’s a script, a configuration file, a server, or a third party service — and how they communicate. Supply schematic illustrations, even rough wireframes captured with a smartphone. Clearly mark entry points, exit points, and data paths. Avoid the illusion that code is documentation, because code changes over time, but good documentation stays relevant.



List all dependencies and their versions. If you’re using Python libraries, Node modules, or system packages, write them down with exact versions. Include instructions read more on hackmd.io how to install them. Mention any environment variables or configuration files required, and supply realistic samples with contextual meaning.



Record how to start, stop, and restart the proxy. Provide the exact terminal instructions, admin-level access, and frequent errors such as binding failures or TLS mismatches. When logs are generated, specify their location, and how severity tiers are defined. Include examples of typical log entries and what they indicate about system health.



Protecting the system is non-negotiable. Document any authentication mechanisms, whether you’re using basic auth, tokens, or certificates. Reveal your key storage approach — loaded via OS vars, encrypted with GPG, or embedded in binary?. If you’re routing traffic through external services, mention which ones and how data privacy is handled. Restrict high-risk interfaces to private subnets only.



Add a dedicated FAQ section. Compile a gallery of past bugs and fixes. For example, if the proxy crashes when a client sends malformed headers, describe the symptom, the log message you saw, and the fix you applied — this saves hours for someone else debugging the same issue.



Treat docs as critical code. Integrate it into your dev process — revise it alongside each commit, PR, or deployment. Consider linking your documentation to a version control system so changes are tracked alongside the code. Even if you’re the only person using the proxy now, future you will thank you for the clarity.