Skip to content
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Use a reverse proxy for your custom domain

Every Foleon Doc needs to live on its URL, and you can choose to host it on a custom domain. You can use a reverse proxy for hosting with a provider such as Cloudflare, NGINX, or Apache. This article shows you what a reverse proxy is, how to set it up, and what changes in our platform when you do.

⚠️ Don’t check the reverse proxy checkbox in the platform unless you’re sure it matches your hosting setup. If you wrongly select it, you’ll encounter issues securing your domain.

💡 To learn how to set up a custom domain for your project, check out our article: Hosting on a custom domain

In this article

What is a reverse proxy?

In a computer network, a reverse proxy server acts as an intermediary — communicating with users, so that users never interact directly with the origin servers.

Companies choose this setup because it offers excellent performance and flexible security. For more information about using a reverse proxy, we recommend reading this article by Cloudflare (a popular provider).

Reverse Proxy Flow

 

Set up a custom domain with a reverse proxy

When you use a reverse proxy for your hosting, the custom domain setup differs from our standard setup.

⚠️ If you don’t have technical experience, you will need assistance from your IT team.

When you check the reverse proxy checkbox in the project settings, the DNS verification step is disabled as it becomes irrelevant. In addition, it prevents you from using our automated SSL/TLS setup. This means you’ll have to manually configure your SSL/TLS setup.

These changes in the custom domain setup allow you to use your reverse proxy and reap its benefits.

💡The origin server for the reverse proxy needs to be:

  • s1.foleon.com (if your content is hosted in the EU)
  • s1.us.foleon.com (if your content is hosted in the US)

Frame 9-1

Implementing a reverse proxy for your server application

Full implementation guides for each supported server application are available in our developer documentation. Select your server application below to get started:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What type of URL can you place in the custom domain field if you check the reverse proxy box?
    Using a reverse proxy, you can insert a subdomain (subdomain.yourdomain.com) or a root domain (yourdomain.com). It’s not possible to add a path to your URL — e.g., subdomain.yourdomain.com/newsletter.

  • Can I also use a reverse proxy when I use a free Foleon domain?
    No, this is not possible. A setup with a reverse proxy is only relevant when you choose to host on a custom domain.

  • What’s the origin server for my reverse proxy setup with the hosting provider?
    You need to use the following origin server:

    • s1.foleon.com (if your content is hosted in the EU)

    • s1.us.foleon.com (if your content is hosted in the US)