use-mullgate

name

use-mullgate

description

Install, configure, expose, verify, and troubleshoot Mullgate as an operator on a real machine. Use when the request is to actually use Mullgate rather than develop the Mullgate codebase, including first-run setup, non-interactive setup, Tailscale or private-network exposure, inline-selector access, proxy export, relay discovery or recommendation, exact-exit verification, runtime logs and restarts, version/completion reporting, and Linux autostart.

Use Mullgate

Operate Mullgate as an operator, not as a code contributor. Prefer official docs and the live CLI help, then give the user exact commands or proxy URLs that match the current saved posture.

Grounding

Read these before acting:

• references/official-docs.md for the official public docs map
• references/operator-playbooks.md for concrete task playbooks

Treat these as the authority order:

1. official public docs at https://mullgate.micr.dev
2. live CLI help such as mullgate setup --help or mullgate proxy access --help
3. local repo docs such as README.md and docs/usage.md

Do not use docs/maintainers/ for normal operator tasks.

Mental Model

Treat Mullgate as two separate choices:

• exposure mode
  • loopback - local-only proof on one machine
  • private-network - one trusted-network host, usually a LAN or Tailscale IP
  • public - internet-reachable listeners
• access mode
  • published-routes - default; routes are selected by hostname or per-route port inventory
  • inline-selector - opt-in; one shared listener per protocol and the route selector goes in the proxy username

Core Rules

• In private-network, use the host's real trusted-network IP, not 0.0.0.0. On Tailscale, that usually means the host 100.x address.
• In private-network + published-routes, all routes can share one trusted-network host IP because route selection moves to per-route ports.
• In inline-selector, one shared host works in every exposure mode because route selection moves to the username.
• Use the guaranteed inline-selector URL form scheme://selector:@host:port. The shorter scheme://selector@host:port form is best-effort only.
• mullgate proxy export currently supports published-routes only.
• public + inline-selector + empty password is blocked unless the operator explicitly enables --unsafe-public-empty-password.
• Linux is the only fully supported runtime target.

Intent Mapping

Map the request before choosing commands:

• "Set up Mullgate locally" or "prove it works on this machine"
  • use loopback
  • keep published-routes
• "Expose Mullgate over Tailscale", "use it from another machine on my VPN", or "private network"
  • use private-network
  • prefer the host's Tailscale 100.x IP
• "Use one host and choose country, city, or server in the proxy URL itself"
  • use private-network unless the user explicitly wants public exposure
  • switch to inline-selector
• "Give me a proxy list or file I can import elsewhere"
  • keep or switch to published-routes
  • use mullgate proxy export
• "Validate what start would render without touching Docker"
  • use mullgate proxy start --dry-run
• "Restart the saved runtime cleanly"
  • use mullgate proxy restart
• "Stop the runtime" or "show me the container logs"
  • use mullgate proxy stop or mullgate proxy logs --tail 200
• "Start automatically after reboot"
  • use mullgate proxy autostart enable
  • verify with mullgate proxy autostart status
• "What version is installed?" or "generate shell completion scripts"
  • use mullgate version or mullgate completions <bash|zsh|fish>

Default Workflow

1. Inspect current posture with mullgate proxy access.
2. Change exposure or access with mullgate proxy access --mode ... --access-mode ... --route-bind-ip ... when needed.
3. Preflight the rendered bundle with mullgate proxy start --dry-run when runtime changes are risky.
4. Launch or relaunch with mullgate proxy start or mullgate proxy restart.
5. Check live/runtime truth with mullgate proxy status.
6. Pull bundle evidence with mullgate proxy logs --tail 200.
7. Diagnose failures with mullgate proxy doctor.

Playbooks

Use references/operator-playbooks.md when the user asks for:

• Tailscale or private-network exposure
• inline country, city, or exact relay selection in the proxy username
• generated proxy inventory export
• relay listing, probing, recommendation, or exact-exit verification
• Linux autostart after login or reboot

Output Style

• Prefer short, operator-facing answers with exact commands.
• If the user asks for a working proxy URL, give the exact URL shape they should use.
• If the user asks for a list or file, switch to the export workflow instead of inventing selector URLs.
• If a request is risky, say why and name the safer alternative.