What Is the sing-box Core?
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If we treat Xray as a “specialized engine”, sing-box is closer to a “comprehensive toolbox”. This open-source project aims to gather nearly all proxy protocols and proxy features into a single application.
sing-box in one sentence
sing-box is an open-source “Universal Proxy Platform” that can receive traffic, route it according to rules, and send it out through various protocols.
What features does it have?
- Support for multiple protocols: including Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, Hysteria, TUIC and WireGuard
- TUN mode: it can route the traffic of the entire device (not just a single app).
- Advanced routing and DNS rules: you can define which route and which DNS each domain or app uses.
- Cross-platform: available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
- The base of several popular clients: many modern apps use it behind the scenes.
Difference from Xray
| Xray-core | sing-box | |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Proxy engine with V2Ray roots | Comprehensive proxy platform |
| Protocols | VLESS, VMess, Trojan, SS | All of these plus more, such as Hysteria and TUIC |
| Main strength | Flexibility in transports and REALITY | Integration, routing, DNS and TUN |
| Configuration | JSON | JSON |
Neither one is “absolutely better”; the choice depends on your needs, the service provider and the client. Many users even use both in different situations.
Benefits for the average user
- More precise DNS management: it can help reduce issues such as DNS leaks (provided the configuration is correct).
- One app, multiple protocols: you do not need to install a separate app for each protocol.
- Fine-grained control over the traffic path
Important points
- Configuration power also means a higher chance of configuration errors; one wrong setting can reduce your privacy.
- After setting things up, do not forget to test for DNS and IPv6 leaks.
- The server and the service provider matter more than any core.
What should you ask before buying?
Ask the service provider which protocols and clients are supported and in what form the connection details are delivered. At BlendIn VPN, you see the connection details in your dashboard after payment, and before buying you can ask the 24-hour support team whether it suits your needs.
