Setting Up a Reverse Proxy with Nginx Proxy Manager

When you run multiple applications on one server, you need a traffic director. That is what a reverse proxy does: it looks at incoming requests, figures out which application they are meant for, and routes them accordingly. Nginx Proxy Manager makes this point-and-click simple.

Why You Need a Reverse Proxy

Without a reverse proxy, each application needs its own port. Your CRM might run on port 8080, your helpdesk on port 8081, and your wiki on port 8082. Users would need to remember which port goes with which application. With a reverse proxy, every application is accessible at a subdomain: crm.yourdomain.com, help.yourdomain.com, wiki.yourdomain.com. All on port 443 with SSL. Clean and professional.

Installing Nginx Proxy Manager

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  nginx-proxy-manager:
    image: jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:latest
    container_name: nginx-proxy-manager
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
      - "81:81"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/data
      - ./letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt

Run docker compose up -d. The admin panel is now at http://your-server-ip:81. Default login: admin@example.com, password changeme. Change the password immediately.

Adding Your First Application

Click Proxy Hosts, then Add Proxy Host. Enter the domain name (crm.yourdomain.com), the container name and port (crm-app:8080), and check WebSocket Support if the application uses it. Switch to the SSL tab, select Request a new SSL Certificate, check Force SSL, and enter your email address. Click Save. That is it. Your CRM is now accessible at https://crm.yourdomain.com with a valid SSL certificate that auto-renews.

Adding More Applications

Repeat the process for each application. Every application gets a subdomain. Every subdomain gets SSL. The reverse proxy handles the routing. You manage everything through a web interface with no configuration files to edit and no command-line work required. Adding a new application to your stack takes two minutes.

If configuring servers is not how you want to spend your afternoon, VPS1 does this for you. We set up your reverse proxy, SSL, and every application. You get the URLs and move on with your day.