glider is a forward proxy with multiple protocols support that also functions as a DNS and DHCP server with ipset management capabilities.
The tool solves the problem of routing network traffic through multiple proxy protocols and managing DNS resolution with rule-based forwarding. It works by establishing local listeners that act as proxy servers, accepting incoming requests and forwarding them to the internet through configurable forwarders. The architecture supports flexible proxy chains, allowing requests to traverse multiple protocols in sequence. Load balancing is built in with multiple scheduling algorithms including round robin, high availability, latency-based selection, and destination hashing. The DNS server component can forward queries through proxies, enforce TCP-only upstream queries, cache results, and associate DNS rules with both forwarder selection and ipset management. On Linux systems, the tool can manage ipsets by adding resolved IPs for domains matching rule files.
The tool suits users who need sophisticated traffic routing with protocol flexibility and DNS-level control. It is particularly valuable for transparent proxy setups on Linux, where it can intercept traffic and apply rules based on domain names. The project provides configuration examples specifically for transparent proxy scenarios both with and without dnsmasq integration. Users should choose this tool if they need to combine multiple proxy protocols, apply rule-based routing decisions, and manage DNS resolution centrally. The extensive protocol support—including HTTP, SOCKS5, Shadowsocks, Trojan, VLESS, SSH tunneling, and various transport layers like KCP, WebSocket, and TLS—makes it suitable for complex networking environments where different protocols may be required for different destinations.
Development activity shows consistent maintenance with regular updates addressing bug fixes and feature improvements. The project maintains comprehensive documentation including configuration examples and scheme references. Community engagement is evident through the availability of the tool across multiple package managers and container registries, indicating active distribution and user support. The codebase demonstrates attention to edge cases and protocol compliance, with support for protocol variants and cleartext modes alongside encrypted versions.
