CLIENT PROOF · 2026
Start with a client, then check the subscription, ports, proxy mode and rule order in sequence. This site indexes free forever, open-source code and Chinese documentation while mapping practical configuration paths for Clash GUI clients and the mihomo core.
COMPOSING / 01
Break the Clash workflow into checking, typesetting and printing: verify the configuration source, proofread field relationships, then take over system traffic and check the result.
The first step is not enabling the system proxy, but confirming that the client can read the complete configuration. Remote subscriptions typically include proxies, policy groups, rules and DNS settings; local YAML is better for preserving manual changes. After importing, check the update time, policy group names and proxy list before deciding whether the subscription URL, network permissions or format needs attention.
Different GUI clients may label the entry Profiles, Configuration, Subscriptions or Config Files, but the underlying goal is the same: hand the core a parseable YAML file. Before updating a subscription, check how local overrides are handled so temporary changes are not mistaken for remote content. These guides follow an import–check–select sequence, keeping errors before the first connection in the configuration layer rather than postponing them until system networking.
mixed-port: 7890
mode: rule
allow-lan: false
proxy-groups:
- name: Proxy selection
type: select
proxies:
- Automatic selection
- DIRECTOnce the configuration loads, check the port fields, policy group references and rule order one by one. mixed-port accepts both HTTP and SOCKS5 requests, making it suitable for most desktop clients; when using port or socks-port separately, confirm that the system proxy points to the matching listening port. Port conflicts commonly appear as a core startup failure, or as an enabled system proxy whose requests never reach the client.
Rules use a top-to-bottom first-match process, so specific domains and networks should come before broad rules; the fallback usually belongs at the end. Policy group names must also exactly match the references on the right side of each rule. Unlike a brief guide that only explains toggles, this proofing workflow checks field names, indentation, references and effective locations, making it easier to diagnose cases where YAML loads but routing results are wrong.
rules:
- DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.org,DIRECT
- GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
- MATCH,Proxy selection
dns:
enable: true
ipv6: false
enhanced-mode: fake-ipOnly after the configuration is proofread should the system takeover stage begin. A standard system proxy mainly covers applications that follow the operating system proxy settings, making it simple and suitable for browsers and most desktop software. TUN mode captures more traffic at the network layer and helps with apps that ignore system proxy settings, but involves a virtual interface, routes and permissions. Neither needs to be the default in every case; choose based on application coverage and troubleshooting cost.
After connecting, check in a fixed order: confirm that the core is running, the current policy group has a usable selection, the system proxy port matches the listening field, and the logs show no connection loops or DNS errors. If only a few sites fail, return to the rules and DNS; if every request fails, check the core, port and system takeover first. This layered approach finds the actual fault location more reliably than repeatedly switching proxies.
tun:
enable: true
stack: mixed
auto-route: true
auto-detect-interface: true
log-level: info
unified-delay: trueTYPE CASE / 02
The homepage provides platform entry points only. Specific clients, system requirements and package architectures are grouped in the download center, keeping operating-system instructions separate.
DESKTOP
Best for managing subscriptions, policy groups and system proxies through a GUI. Before downloading, confirm the system architecture and whether the client is maintained; after installation, import the subscription and check the listening port.
Go to DownloadsDESKTOP
Best for managing connection status and policy selection from the menu bar. When Apple Silicon and Intel use different packages, check the chip information in About This Mac before opening the matching download.
Go to DownloadsMOBILE
Uses the in-app VPN permission to take over traffic on mobile devices. Choose a universal package or the matching architecture for the device processor, and confirm the network permission prompt on the first connection.
Go to DownloadsMOBILE
For importing subscriptions through a client on iPhone and iPad, with the system confirming the VPN configuration. After importing, select a policy group and then check the permission status on the first connection.
Go to DownloadsDESKTOP / SERVER
Desktop users can choose a GUI client, while servers and routers typically run the mihomo core directly. Before installation, distinguish the distribution package format, CPU architecture and service startup method.
Go to DownloadsPROOF / 03
Client names may look alike, but the GUI, core and configuration file belong to different layers. Understanding how they relate makes it easier to identify the source of updates, compatibility issues and failures.
PROJECT HISTORY
Clash built a widely used ecosystem around a rule-based proxy core and YAML configuration. After the original project stopped being maintained, existing clients did not immediately change how they worked, but support for new protocols, network-stack fixes and configuration extensions gradually moved to later maintained forks. When reviewing a client, distinguish whether it retains the old core, uses an independent core or stays current with mihomo.
“Clash client” is often used as an umbrella term for a group of applications; it does not mean every GUI comes from the same project. The download page lists available clients by platform and clearly marks unmaintained projects, helping you choose according to your system and update requirements.
OPEN ECOSYSTEM
A GUI client handles subscription management, policy switching, system proxies, log viewing and core updates; the core performs the actual rule matching and traffic forwarding. YAML sits between them, describing listening ports, DNS and TUN while also defining proxies, policy groups and rules. A display problem is not necessarily a core failure, and a core error does not necessarily come from the subscription URL.
When troubleshooting, first identify the layer where the error occurs: a subscription that cannot download is a source or network issue; a YAML parse failure is a configuration-structure issue; a port that cannot bind is a local-environment issue; unexpected rule matches require checking order, policy group references and DNS behavior.
MIHOMO CORE
mihomo extends the Clash configuration approach with more protocols, rule capabilities and network options. Some clients use mihomo as their default core, while others allow switching core versions. When migrating an older configuration, the basic fields are usually familiar, but experimental options, DNS behavior, rule providers and override mechanisms should still be checked against the current core documentation item by item.
Most desktop users are better off starting with a GUI client because it handles installation, permissions and the system proxy entry point. Users running servers, soft routers or services that require precise parameter control are more likely to deploy the core directly and maintain the configuration and startup service themselves.
UPDATE METHOD
A complete update may include the client application, core file and remote subscription. A client update affects the interface and system integration; a core update affects protocol and configuration behavior; a subscription update changes proxies, policy groups and rules. Treating all three as one “version” makes it easy to roll back the wrong component when something goes wrong.
Before updating, record the current client name, core type, configuration source and important overrides. After updating, first confirm that the configuration loads, then check policy groups and the system proxy, and finally verify rule routing. If the problem appears only after refreshing the subscription, compare the configuration content before reinstalling the client.
SOURCE / MIHOMO
When you need to inspect the implementation, compile the core or trace configuration behavior, you can obtain the project from its public code repository. Ordinary client users do not need to run this command; use the GUI client in the download center instead.
git clone https://github.com/MetaCubeX/mihomo.git
MARGIN NOTES
Identify the fault layer first, then open the relevant guide instead of repeatedly trialing ports, proxies and rules.
First confirm that the subscription URL is accessible and that the client shows an update time, then review the configuration parsing log. If the remote content is empty, is not YAML, or requires additional authorization, the client usually cannot generate proxies and policy groups. For the complete import sequence, see the Clash Setup Guide.
Check the core status and confirm that the listening port matches the system proxy port, then make sure the current policy group has a usable selection. If you change mixed-port without updating the system settings, requests will still be sent to the old port.
For browsers and desktop apps that follow system proxy settings, start with the system proxy because the setup path is shorter. Evaluate TUN when you need to capture more applications or special network traffic. After enabling TUN, also check virtual-interface permissions, routes and DNS; the two modes should not be treated as identical switches.
Check whether a broader rule earlier in the list captures the traffic, whether the policy group name matches exactly, and whether the rule is present in the configuration the client actually loads. When using overrides, also confirm that the merge order has not placed local rules after the fallback rules.
PROOF SHEETS / 04
New guides cover platform installation, port conflicts, rule syntax and core differences, with articles archived by publication date.
Explains the App Store process on iPhone and iPad, configuration import, permission confirmation and first-connection checks, distinguishing subscription retrieval from system VPN authorization.
Read MoreStarts by identifying the listening process, then explains how to change fields such as mixed-port and why the system proxy port must be updated as well.
Covers domain, IP, process and fallback rule syntax, explains top-to-bottom first matching, and outlines common reasons rules exist but do not take effect as expected.
Read More