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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, F5, or Cloudfront. 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?
  • Set up a custom domain with a reverse proxy
  • An example: steps to take in Cloudflare
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a reverse proxy?

In a computer network, a reverse proxy server acts as a middleman — communicating with the users, so the 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).

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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”.

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An example: steps to take in Cloudflare

Cloudflare is a popular hosting provider that allows you to use a reverse proxy. We’ve written a detailed article on the steps you need to take for a successful setup — in both Cloudflare and Foleon.

The steps and user interface will differ if you work with another provider. Try to mimic the steps of the Cloudflare article as closely as possible.

 

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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 s1.foleon.com as the origin server.