1. Installing Tinyproxy
2. Basic Configuration
What these settings mean
3. Starting Tinyproxy
Option A — Run in foreground (debug mode)
Option B — Run as a background service
4. Using Tinyproxy
Example: Using it from a client
Using curl
Using environment variables
5. Example: Using Tinyproxy with SSH (via netcat)
Explanation
Summary This article focuses strictly on setting up and using Tinyproxy—a lightweight HTTP/HTTPS proxy—on Alpine Linux. The goal is to get a minimal proxy running and understand how to use it from another machine or client. On Alpine Linux, installation is straightforward: This installs the Tinyproxy service and default configuration files. The main configuration file is typically located at: At minimum, configure the following: Port 8080
Tinyproxy will listen for incoming proxy connections on port 8080. Listen 0.0.0.0Allows connections from any network interface (not just localhost).
This is required if you want to access the proxy from another machine. You have two operational modes depending on your use case. Use this when testing or troubleshooting. Once running, Tinyproxy acts as a standard HTTP proxy. If your Tinyproxy server is at: You can configure tools to use it as a proxy. Now most CLI tools will route traffic through Tinyproxy. Tinyproxy can also proxy TCP connections using the HTTP CONNECT method. Add this to your SSH config: Then connect normally: The connection will be routed through Tinyproxy. For most use cases, the minimal configuration shown above is sufficient to get a working proxy quickly. Templates let you quickly answer FAQs or store snippets for re-use. Hide child comments as well For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
$ -weight: 500;">apk add tinyproxy
-weight: 500;">apk add tinyproxy
-weight: 500;">apk add tinyproxy
/etc/tinyproxy/tinyproxy.conf
/etc/tinyproxy/tinyproxy.conf
/etc/tinyproxy/tinyproxy.conf
Port 8080
Listen 0.0.0.0
Port 8080
Listen 0.0.0.0
Port 8080
Listen 0.0.0.0
tinyproxy -d -c /etc/tinyproxy/tinyproxy.conf
tinyproxy -d -c /etc/tinyproxy/tinyproxy.conf
tinyproxy -d -c /etc/tinyproxy/tinyproxy.conf
rc--weight: 500;">service tinyproxy -weight: 500;">start
rc--weight: 500;">update add tinyproxy
rc--weight: 500;">service tinyproxy -weight: 500;">start
rc--weight: 500;">update add tinyproxy
rc--weight: 500;">service tinyproxy -weight: 500;">start
rc--weight: 500;">update add tinyproxy
172.27.59.40:8080
172.27.59.40:8080
172.27.59.40:8080
-weight: 500;">curl -x http://172.27.59.40:8080 http://example.com
-weight: 500;">curl -x http://172.27.59.40:8080 http://example.com
-weight: 500;">curl -x http://172.27.59.40:8080 http://example.com
export http_proxy="http://172.27.59.40:8080"
export https_proxy="http://172.27.59.40:8080"
export http_proxy="http://172.27.59.40:8080"
export https_proxy="http://172.27.59.40:8080"
export http_proxy="http://172.27.59.40:8080"
export https_proxy="http://172.27.59.40:8080"
Host foomachine HostName 1.2.3.4 ProxyCommand nc -X connect -x 172.27.59.40:8080 %h %p
Host foomachine HostName 1.2.3.4 ProxyCommand nc -X connect -x 172.27.59.40:8080 %h %p
Host foomachine HostName 1.2.3.4 ProxyCommand nc -X connect -x 172.27.59.40:8080 %h %p
ssh foomachine
ssh foomachine
ssh foomachine - Port 8080
Tinyproxy will listen for incoming proxy connections on port 8080.
- Listen 0.0.0.0
Allows connections from any network interface (not just localhost).
This is required if you want to access the proxy from another machine. - -d: Runs in foreground (useful for debugging/logging)
- -c: Specifies config file - Starts Tinyproxy as a daemon
- Enables it to launch automatically at boot - nc -X connect → uses HTTP CONNECT proxy mode
- -x 172.27.59.40:8080 → specifies the Tinyproxy server
- %h %p → target host and port - A minimal, lightweight HTTP/HTTPS proxy
- Simple configuration (port + listen address)
- Flexible usage: CLI tools (-weight: 500;">curl, env vars)
SSH tunneling via nc General proxy routing
- CLI tools (-weight: 500;">curl, env vars)
- SSH tunneling via nc
- General proxy routing - CLI tools (-weight: 500;">curl, env vars)
- SSH tunneling via nc
- General proxy routing
