proxy-view is a lightweight reverse proxy built for debugging HTTP APIs. It sits between a client and a target server, forwarding requests while capturing every detail, method, headers, body, timing, and surfacing them in real-time either in the terminal or through a browser dashboard.
What makes it useful is how little ceremony it asks for. There is no config file, no SSL setup, no daemon. You point it at a target URL with a single command and it starts forwarding traffic immediately, with a live-updating table of requests in the terminal.
What it does
- acts as a reverse proxy forwarding to any target URL
- streams every request to the terminal with a colored method/status/latency table
- stores all captured traffic in SQLite with automatic 7-day cleanup
- replays any previously captured request through the proxy, optionally with a diff view
- serves a React dashboard at the proxy port for DevTools-style inspection
Stack
The core is built with Python using httpx for proxying, typer and rich for the CLI, and aiosqlite for storage. The dashboard is a standalone React + Vite app that connects to the proxy over WebSockets for live updates.
What drew me to this project is how it turns a small, focused idea into something you reach for naturally. It does not try to be Charles or mitmproxy. It is a single-purpose tool that stays out of the way and makes debugging HTTP feel faster.