If you already run Traefik with the File Provider, you probably know the feeling: the config itself is not hard, but keeping it tidy over time gets old fast.
One new subdomain today. A backend change tomorrow. HTTPS redirect rules the day after that. Before long, you are SSH-ing into the box, scanning YAML files, and double-checking everything before you touch a single line.
That is exactly where Traefik Route Manager fits in. It gives you a lightweight web UI for managing Traefik file-based routes, so you can stop babysitting YAML for every small change.
Project:
https://github.com/jae-jae/traefik-route-manager
Sound familiar?
This is a very homelab problem.
Not because Traefik is bad. Quite the opposite. Traefik is powerful, flexible, and great once it is in place.
The annoying part is the repetition:
- adding a new domain means writing yet another route file
- enabling HTTPS means touching entrypoints, TLS, and maybe redirect rules too
- route files pile up over time and become harder to track
- changing one backend URL turns into a small manual maintenance job
If you self-host enough services, this adds up quickly.
What this project actually solves
Traefik Route Manager focuses on one job only: managing routes for Traefik File Provider setups, without dragging in a database or a bigger control plane.
Each domain becomes its own managed config file. You fill in the domain, backend URL, HTTPS options, and redirect behavior in the UI, and the app writes standard Traefik dynamic config for you.
Traefik keeps watching the same directory it already uses. Your workflow stays familiar. You just stop doing the repetitive part by hand.
The easiest way to think about it: it is a small, Traefik-first route manager for people who want less friction and more control.
The big reasons it is worth a look
1. No database, no extra baggage
For homelab tools, lighter is usually better.
This project keeps things simple: no database, no Redis, no extra moving parts. Point it at your dynamic config directory and it is ready to work.
2. One domain, one file
Every route is stored as its own trm-{domain}.yml file.
That makes maintenance much easier later. It is cleaner to inspect, easier to back up, easier to version, and much less likely to collide with other Traefik config you maintain yourself.
3. It stays Traefik-native
The generated output is standard Traefik dynamic configuration.
That matters. You are not locked into some opaque internal format, and you do not have to wonder what the tool is doing behind the scenes.
4. Common HTTPS needs are built in
Most of the time, you just want to answer a few basic questions:
- which backend should this domain point to?
- should it use HTTPS?
- should HTTP redirect to HTTPS?
That is exactly the kind of repetitive setup this tool removes.
5. It is also friendly to AI agent workflows
This is a nice bonus.
The project includes API usage guidance for AI assistants, which makes it a practical fit if you want to manage routes through agent-driven workflows later on.
If you are into automation, that opens up some fun possibilities.
What it looks like
The UI is not trying to be flashy. It is clean, direct, and easy to understand at a glance.
You open it and immediately know what it is for.
Quick way to try it
If Traefik is already watching a dynamic config directory, you are most of the way there.
The easiest path is Docker:
docker run -d \
--name traefik-route-manager \
-p 8892:8892 \
-v /path/to/traefik/dynamic:/data \
-e AUTH_TOKEN=your-secret-token \
-e CONFIG_DIR=/data \
ghcr.io/jae-jae/traefik-route-manager:main
If you prefer Docker Compose, that works just as well.
The important part is simple:
- set an
AUTH_TOKEN - mount the same dynamic config directory Traefik watches
That is basically it.
Who this is for
This project makes the most sense if you are:
- already using Traefik File Provider and tired of editing route YAML by hand
- running a homelab, NAS, mini PC, or self-hosted stack with lots of small services
- looking for something lighter than a full management platform
- trying to keep your config readable, portable, and easy to back up
If that sounds like your setup, Traefik Route Manager is probably worth a try.
Final thought
Traefik Route Manager is not trying to be a giant platform with a hundred features. That is part of the appeal. It solves a boring, repetitive problem in a clean way, and for a lot of self-hosters, that is exactly what makes it useful.
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