A Simple Desktop UI for Cloudflare Tunnels (RDP, SSH, TCP)

Cloudflare Tunnel is a fantastic tool for securely exposing local services, but let's be honest, wrestling with YAML files and command-line flags for quick tasks can be a pain. Especially when you just need to spin up a temporary RDP session, expose an SSH service, or forward a TCP port to a colleague. That's where this clever little desktop UI comes in, offering a streamlined, one-click solution for these common tunneling scenarios.

The prototype, built with Go and Electron, provides a clean, cross-platform (Windows/macOS) interface that handles the heavy lifting behind the scenes. No more YAML editing or memorizing complex CLI arguments! The UI focuses on launching RDP, SSH, and TCP tunnels with a single button click, displaying the necessary connection parameters for easy access. It's not meant to replace the CLI entirely, but rather to provide a quick and accessible shortcut for users who might not be comfortable with command-line interfaces or for those one-off tunneling needs. This approach makes Cloudflare Tunnel more accessible to junior engineers, support staff, and anyone who needs a tunnel "right now" without the full Zero Trust setup.

The creator is actively seeking feedback on the project, pondering whether Cloudflare should consider an official desktop UI and what features it should include. If you've ever felt the pain of managing tunnels through the CLI, or if you think a one-click RDP/SSH/TCP tunneling solution would benefit your workflow, definitely check out the prototype on GitHub and share your thoughts. It's a great example of how a simple UI can significantly improve the usability of a powerful tool. Huge kudos to the Cloudflare team for building such an awesome tunneling ecosystem!

📰 Original article: https://dev.to/maksim_lanies_c38f3d77b08/a-simple-desktop-ui-for-cloudflare-tunnels-rdp-ssh-tcp-3dj9

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