TraceWall Pro — iOS Web Firewall and Developer Host Switcher

TraceWall Pro is an iOS application I developed to give users local control and visibility over HTTP and HTTPS web traffic on iPhone and iPad.

The app was designed as a practical web firewall, developer host switcher, and local traffic log. It helps users understand which domains their device is contacting, block or allow specific destinations, and test staging or sandbox servers without changing public DNS.

TraceWall Pro is fully developed and technically functional. However, it is not currently published on the App Store under my individual developer account because distribution of VPN / Network Extension based apps can require organization-level publishing requirements. Because of that, I am open to selling the source code or collaborating with a company that can publish, maintain, and further develop the product.

Project Details

Role: Owner / iOS Developer
Platform: iOS / iPadOS
App Type: Web Firewall, Host Switcher, Developer Tool
Technologies: SwiftUI, Network Extension, Packet Tunnel Provider, App Groups, local proxy, JSON import/export
Focus: HTTP/HTTPS traffic control, local logs, firewall rules, host mapping, privacy-first design
Status: Fully developed, not publicly released on the App Store
Contact: [email protected]

What I Developed

I designed and developed TraceWall Pro as a native iOS application with a Packet Tunnel Network Extension.

The app creates a local VPN configuration so iOS can route supported HTTP and HTTPS web traffic through an on-device proxy. This allows TraceWall Pro to evaluate traffic metadata locally, apply user-defined rules, and show a readable traffic timeline without sending logs to any external service.

The main interface is organized around practical workflow sections: Dashboard, Rules, Host Switcher, Logs, and Settings.

Core Features

TraceWall Pro includes several connected systems:

• Local HTTP/HTTPS traffic control
• Packet Tunnel Network Extension integration
• Blocklist mode for blocking selected domains, IP addresses, or ports
• Allowlist mode for allowing only selected destinations
• Local allow/block traffic logs
• Host Switcher for domain-to-IP mapping
• Tap-to-act log entries for creating rules from observed traffic
• JSON import and export for rules and settings
• User-controlled log display and storage limits
• Privacy notice before enabling protection
• Local storage using App Groups
• Live rule reload while protection is active
• Protection restart flow when firewall strategy changes

The app was built to be useful both for developers and for users who want a clearer view of web destinations contacted by their device.

Firewall Modes

TraceWall Pro supports two firewall strategies.

Blocklist mode allows traffic by default and blocks only destinations that match user-created block rules. This mode is easier for everyday use because users can block unwanted domains, IP addresses, or ports while leaving the rest of web traffic untouched.

Allowlist mode is stricter. It blocks traffic by default and allows only destinations that match user-created allow rules. This is useful for controlled testing, restricted browsing scenarios, or development workflows where only specific domains should be reachable.

Block rules still take priority, even when Allowlist mode is active.

Developer Host Switcher

One of the most useful parts of TraceWall Pro is the Host Switcher.

The Host Switcher allows a user to route a domain to a specific upstream IP address. This works like a proxy-level hosts file and is useful for developers, system administrators, and web teams.

Typical use cases include:

• Testing staging servers behind a production domain
• Checking sandbox deployments
• Testing DNS migration before public DNS changes
• Validating CDN or reverse proxy changes
• Debugging web infrastructure without modifying the device hosts file
• Testing server moves before switching real traffic

This feature is especially useful for my own infrastructure and web development work, where domains, hosting environments, reverse proxies, and staging systems often need to be tested before production changes go live.

Local Traffic Logs

TraceWall Pro includes a local traffic log timeline.

The logs show useful metadata such as destination host, port, allow/block decision, block reason, and host override actions. A user can tap a log entry and quickly create an allow rule, block rule, or host mapping from the observed request.

This turns the log from a passive view into an active troubleshooting tool.

Instead of manually typing every rule, users can observe traffic first and then convert real requests into firewall rules.

Privacy-First Design

TraceWall Pro was designed as a privacy-first local tool.

The app does not require an account, does not upload traffic logs, does not sell data, and does not decrypt HTTPS content. Logs and rules are stored locally on the device. Exporting logs or settings is always user initiated.

The app focuses on HTTP/HTTPS traffic metadata, not page content, passwords, private messages, or decrypted HTTPS payloads.

This distinction was important during development because the goal was not to create an anonymity VPN or a full-device packet firewall. The goal was to build a transparent local web firewall and developer testing utility.

Technical Implementation

The project includes a SwiftUI app target and a Packet Tunnel Network Extension target.

The main app handles the user interface, rule management, host mappings, logs, import/export functionality, privacy notice, and VPN profile controls. The tunnel extension handles traffic routing, proxy behavior, firewall evaluation, host override decisions, and logging.

Several technical challenges were solved during development:

• Managing a Packet Tunnel Provider from a SwiftUI application
• Sharing rules and logs between the app and extension using App Groups
• Applying firewall rule changes while protection is already active
• Keeping Allowlist mode consistent with Host Switcher mappings
• Handling blocked HTTP and HTTPS destinations cleanly
• Avoiding misleading claims such as full-device firewall or anonymity VPN
• Keeping logs limited and responsive for mobile use
• Designing a clear UI for a technically complex workflow

Publication Status

TraceWall Pro is fully developed and working, but it is not currently available on the App Store.

The app was prepared for App Store submission, but publishing VPN / Network Extension based apps can involve organization-level requirements that are not available under my individual developer account. As a result, the app is available for a potential business arrangement instead of public download at this time.

Availability for Collaboration

I am open to several options for TraceWall Pro:

• Selling the source code
• Licensing the project
• Partnering with a company account for publication
• Continuing development and support under a company-owned App Store listing
• Adapting the product for a specific business, development, or security workflow

For companies, web teams, VPN-related businesses, hosting providers, cybersecurity startups, or developer-tool publishers, TraceWall Pro can be a strong foundation for a real iOS product.

Contact

If you are interested in publishing, licensing, acquiring, or collaborating on TraceWall Pro, contact me at: [email protected]

Result

TraceWall Pro became one of my most technically complex iOS projects.

It combines SwiftUI, Network Extension, Packet Tunnel Provider, local proxy behavior, firewall rules, host mapping, local logging, privacy-focused architecture, JSON import/export, and App Store-ready product preparation.

Even though the app is not currently published, the project demonstrates my ability to design and build advanced iOS networking tools, work with Apple’s Network Extension framework, implement privacy-aware architecture, and turn complex infrastructure workflows into a practical mobile interface.