Traefik overview

Traefik is Coolify's default integrated reverse proxy. Coolify generates Traefik routes from resource domains and container ports, connects the proxy to the required Docker networks, and configures automatic TLS certificates for HTTPS domains.

Most deployments do not need to edit Traefik directly. Use the proxy guides only when the generated defaults do not cover your routing, certificate, or authentication requirement.

The short version

Set a domain on an application or service and Coolify generates the normal Traefik route. Use dynamic configuration for reusable file-based middleware, custom certificates, dashboards, and load-balancer services.

Changes to the main Traefik Docker Compose configuration require a proxy restart. File-based dynamic configuration is watched and can update without restarting Traefik.

What Coolify manages

Coolify configures:

the coolify-proxy Traefik container on connected servers
public http and https entry points on ports 80 and 443
Docker and file providers for generated routes and dynamic configuration
the letsencrypt TLS certificate resolver for HTTP challenge
resource router, middleware, service, and target-port labels
the Docker networks that let Traefik reach routed resources

The main configuration is stored at /data/coolify/proxy/docker-compose.yml. Traefik file-provider configuration is stored under /data/coolify/proxy/dynamic/ and mounted at /traefik/dynamic/ inside the proxy container.

Edit the main configuration in Coolify

Coolify does not sync edits to /data/coolify/proxy/docker-compose.yml back into the UI once a proxy configuration is saved in Coolify. Make changes under Servers > your server > Proxy > Configuration and save them there. Starting or restarting the proxy through Coolify writes its saved configuration to disk and can overwrite disk-only edits.

Keep generated routing intact

Resetting the proxy configuration removes custom changes from the main Docker Compose file. Editing application labels after choosing manual label management also makes you responsible for preserving every generated route and middleware label.

Choose a Traefik guide

If Coolify shows a new-version notice, follow Update Traefik to review compatibility, change the image version, and restart the proxy.

Protect a resource

Add HTTP basic authentication through Coolify or with Traefik labels.

Add dynamic configuration

Create reusable file-based middleware, routers, services, and TLS settings.

Open the dashboard

Expose the Traefik dashboard through a dedicated, authenticated domain.

Certificates

Choose how Traefik obtains or loads TLS certificates.

1Custom SSL certificates 2DNS challenge 3Wildcard certificates

Advanced routing

Change how Traefik processes and distributes requests.

1Custom middlewares 2Load balancing 3Protect with Authentik