Merge pull request #166 from theta42/release-1.1.14

Bump version to 1.1.14

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,36 @@ correspond to git tags (`vX.Y.Z`) and `nodejs/package.json`'s `version`.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [1.1.14] - 2026-07-17
+
+### Changed
+- Bumped `@simpleworkjs/conf` to 1.2.0 and `jq-repeat` to 2.2.0. The Docker entrypoint now sets the new `CONF_SECRETS` env var to point directly at a mounted `proxy-secrets.js` instead of symlinking it into `/app/conf/secrets.js` — the app no longer needs write access to its own `conf/` directory to pick up mounted secrets.
+
+## [1.1.13] - 2026-07-17
+
+### Added
+- Four new plain-language docs aimed at less technical readers, replacing the system-design-level Architecture/Installation docs as the target of most card help links: **Hosts & HTTPS**, **DNS Providers**, **Users, Groups & Permissions**, and **API Tokens**. Each links onward to the deeper technical reference for readers who want it; the technical docs link back the other way too. The personal-access-token card (previously missed entirely) now has a help link.
+
+### Fixed
+- The in-app docs viewer rendered every `docs/*.md` page with a garbled heading and a stray horizontal rule at the top — Jekyll front matter (meant only for the GitHub Pages build) was never stripped before being handed to the markdown renderer. Also fixed: cross-doc links never resolved in-app, since this viewer serves docs at `/docs/<slug>` with no `.html` suffix — they're now rewritten to the correct in-app URL (by registered slug, falling back to the doc's real filename), the same way image paths already were.
+
+## [1.1.12] - 2026-07-17
+
+### Fixed
+- The host edit form's "Parent Wildcard" option stayed greyed out even when a valid wildcard actually existed for that host, so an already-created host could never be switched onto one from the edit modal (only brand-new hosts, via the field's `keyup` handler, ever saw it become available). The underlying `/host/lookup/:item` check also had the same self-match issue as the recently-fixed backend bug: it resolved an already-existing host to its own record instead of a sibling wildcard. Added a dedicated `/host/wildcard-parent/:item` endpoint that checks both directions, and the edit form now actually runs the check when it opens.
+- Fixed an nginx startup warning: `the "listen ... http2" directive is deprecated, use the "http2" directive instead`. Migrated to the standalone `http2 on;` directive (nginx 1.25.1+).
+
+## [1.1.11] - 2026-07-17
+
+### Changed
+- Moved the help (❓) link out of the global header and onto each relevant card individually (Proxy List, Add/Edit host, Add DNS Provider, Dynamic A Records, Add New User, User List, Add Permission, Permissions, Add Group) — each now deep-links straight to the doc that actually covers it, instead of one generic header icon.
+
+## [1.1.10] - 2026-07-17
+
+### Added
+- A help icon (❓) in the top-right header now deep-links to the doc most relevant to the current page (falls back to the docs index elsewhere).
+- The in-app docs viewer (`/docs`) is now searchable — a simple line-substring search over the same local doc set, no new dependency, still works with no internet access.
+
 ## [1.1.9] - 2026-07-17
 
 ### Added
@@ -17,7 +47,7 @@ correspond to git tags (`vX.Y.Z`) and `nodejs/package.json`'s `version`.
 - The host create/edit modal's tabs could overflow awkwardly on narrow (mobile) screens — they now scroll horizontally instead.
 - Fixed a bug in the vendored `model-redis` library's record-rename path: renaming a record's primary key while another `always`-type field (e.g. `updated_on`) is defined earlier in the schema left a stray, incomplete hash behind under the old key, making that name permanently unavailable for reuse. Worked around in `Host.prototype.update()`.
 
-Bumps to v1.1.9.
+## [1.1.8] - 2026-07-17
 
 ### Fixed
 - **Couldn't attach an existing host to a parent wildcard.** The host edit form's "Parent Wildcard" option submitted correctly, but `Host.prototype.update()` had no `challengeType` handling at all (only `Host.create()` did) — selecting it and saving silently did nothing. Added the same wildcard-parent lookup to `update()`.
@@ -25,6 +55,8 @@ Bumps to v1.1.9.
 
 Both required a corrected lookup: attaching an *existing* host (which already has its own tree leaf) needed a new `Host.lookUpWildcardParent()` that checks the sibling wildcard slot instead of resolving to the host's own record.
 
+## [1.1.7] - 2026-07-16
+
 ### Changed
 - Redesigned the GitHub Pages docs site to match the app's own look (dark navbar/footer, Bootstrap 5, Font Awesome) instead of the generic `jekyll-theme-cayman` theme, added a real cross-page nav, SEO (`jekyll-seo-tag` + `jekyll-sitemap`, per-page descriptions, OG/Twitter tags, sitemap.xml, robots.txt), and mobile-responsive layout.
 
@@ -71,7 +103,12 @@ First tagged release. Establishes the `vX.Y.Z` tag convention that the in-app up
 - Standalone backup script (`ops/backup.sh`) for deployments not using theta-env's orchestrator — snapshots Redis and `./config`, with retention.
 - Admin-only in-app banner that checks GitHub releases every 24h and surfaces available updates.
 
-[Unreleased]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.9...HEAD
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.14...HEAD
+[1.1.14]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.13...v1.1.14
+[1.1.13]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.12...v1.1.13
+[1.1.12]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.11...v1.1.12
+[1.1.11]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.10...v1.1.11
+[1.1.10]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.9...v1.1.10
 [1.1.9]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.8...v1.1.9
 [1.1.8]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.7...v1.1.8
 [1.1.7]: https://github.com/theta42/proxy/compare/v1.1.6...v1.1.7

docker-entrypoint.sh

@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@
 #   3. OpenResty        (80/443/4443) — exec'd in the foreground as PID 2 (under
 #                      dumb-init, PID 1) so it receives SIGTERM from `docker stop`.
 #
-# The app reads its config from conf/base.js deep-merged with conf/secrets.js
+# The app reads its config from conf/base.js deep-merged with a secrets file
-# and `app_*` env vars (requires @simpleworkjs/conf >= 1.1.0, pinned in
+# and `app_*` env vars (requires @simpleworkjs/conf >= 1.2.0, pinned in
 # nodejs/package-lock.json). No secrets.js is baked into the image. The unified
 # theta-env stack mounts ./config/proxy-secrets.js at /config; this entrypoint
-# symlinks it into /app/conf/secrets.js so the app reads oidc/ldap/auth config
+# points CONF_SECRETS at it so the app reads oidc/ldap/auth config straight
-# from the file (no app_* env needed). Without the mount, supply the same config
+# from the mounted file (no app_* env needed, no write access to /app/conf
-# via `app_*` env (compose `environment:` / `env_file:`).
+# required). Without the mount, supply the same config via `app_*` env
+# (compose `environment:` / `env_file:`).
 #
 # OpenResty config: the committed ops/nginx_conf/*.conf carry the bare-metal
 # home-LAN values (set_real_ip_from 192.168.1.0/24; resolver 192.168.1.1). They
@@ -30,14 +31,14 @@ error() { echo "[ERROR] $*" >&2; }
 
 # ── Optional: mount proxy secrets.js ─────────────────────────────────────────
 # When /config/proxy-secrets.js is present (unified theta-env stack, or any
-# deployment that bind-mounts ./config), symlink it into /app/conf/secrets.js so
+# deployment that bind-mounts ./config), point CONF_SECRETS at it so
-# @simpleworkjs/conf reads the oidc/ldap/auth config from the file. No app_* env
+# @simpleworkjs/conf reads the oidc/ldap/auth config from the file. No app_*
-# should then be passed — app_* env beats secrets.js in @simpleworkjs/conf
+# env should then be passed — app_* env beats secrets.js in @simpleworkjs/conf
 # (precedence: base.js < <env>.js < secrets.js < app_* env), so the file is
 # authoritative only if the matching app_* env is absent. When the file is
 # absent the app falls back to app_* env (compose environment / env_file).
 if [[ -f /config/proxy-secrets.js ]]; then
-    ln -sf /config/proxy-secrets.js /app/conf/secrets.js
+    export CONF_SECRETS=/config/proxy-secrets.js
     info "Loaded config from /config/proxy-secrets.js (secrets.js authoritative)"
 fi
 

docs/architecture.md

@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ description: How the proxy's OIDC client, LDAP client, and OpenResty routing fit
 
 [← Back to Home](index.html)
 
+> Looking for a plainer explanation of hosts, HTTPS, or the local
+> permission model instead of internals? See
+> [Hosts & HTTPS](concepts-hosts.html) and
+> [Users, Groups & Permissions](concepts-access.html).
+
 ## System Overview
 
 The proxy system consists of three main components working together to provide high-performance reverse proxying with automated SSL management.

docs/concepts-access.md

@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: Users, Groups & Permissions
+description: A plain-language guide to local admin accounts, groups, and the domain-scoped permission model in theta42/proxy.
+---
+
+# Users, Groups & Permissions
+
+This page explains, in plain language, who can manage what in this app. For
+the deeper system-design detail, see [Architecture](architecture.html).
+
+## Two different ways to log in
+
+Most people who use apps you've proxied through this app never see this
+app's own login at all — they use whatever authentication you set up on
+the *individual host* (basic auth, or single sign-on through your SSO
+Manager). This page is about a different, smaller group: the people who
+manage the proxy itself — adding hosts, registering DNS providers, and so
+on.
+
+There are two ways someone gets into the proxy's own management UI:
+
+- **A local account**, created on the **Users** page — a username and
+  password specific to this app.
+- **Single sign-on**, if you've connected this proxy to an SSO Manager (or
+  another OIDC provider) — the same login your other connected apps use.
+
+Either way, once logged in, what they're actually *allowed to do* here is
+controlled by permissions, described below.
+
+## Groups
+
+A **group** here is just a named list of local usernames, used to grant
+the same permission to several people at once instead of one at a time.
+If you're using SSO instead of local accounts, group membership normally
+comes from your identity provider instead — local groups exist mainly for
+the local-account case.
+
+## Permissions: scope + role
+
+Each **permission** entry grants one subject (a user or a group) one
+**role**, at one **scope** — the two are independent choices:
+
+**Scope** — *where* the role applies:
+
+- **Domain** — only hosts under one specific domain (e.g. someone can
+  manage everything under `example.com`, but can't see or touch a
+  completely different domain you also proxy).
+- **Global** — everywhere, across every domain this proxy manages.
+
+**Role** — *what* they can do within that scope:
+
+- **Viewer** — read-only. Can see hosts and their settings, but not
+  change anything.
+- **Manager** — full control over hosts (create, edit, delete) within
+  that scope.
+- **Admin** — same host control as Manager, **plus**, but *only when
+  granted at Global scope*, the ability to manage other people's
+  permissions, DNS providers, and local user accounts. An Admin role
+  granted at Domain scope instead of Global behaves exactly like Manager
+  for that one domain — it does not unlock those extra admin-only pages.
+
+In practice: give someone **Manager** on just the domain(s) they're
+responsible for to delegate day-to-day host management without handing
+them the keys to everything. Reserve **Global Admin** for people who
+should be able to change anything, anywhere, including who else has
+access.
+
+## Want more detail?
+
+This page doesn't cover the exact permission-checking implementation or
+how SSO group membership maps into this system internally — for that, see
+[Architecture](architecture.html).
+
+[← Back to Home](index.html)

docs/concepts-api-tokens.md

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: API Tokens
+description: A plain-language guide to personal access tokens in theta42/proxy.
+---
+
+# API Tokens
+
+This page explains what an API token is and when you'd want one. For the
+full list of API endpoints a token can call, see the
+[API reference](api.html).
+
+## What's an API token, in plain terms?
+
+Normally, you interact with this app by logging in through a web browser.
+An **API token** (also called a personal access token, or PAT) is an
+alternative way in — a long, random string that a script, a scheduled job,
+or another program can use instead of a username and password, to act on
+your behalf without a human typing a login in each time.
+
+If you've ever set up a script to talk to GitHub, GitLab, or a similar
+service using a "token" instead of your real password, this is the same
+idea.
+
+## When would you actually need one?
+
+Most people never need to create one of these — you'll only want a token
+if you're automating something, for example:
+
+- A script that registers or updates hosts automatically (say, spinning up
+  a new service and wanting the proxy entry created for it without a
+  manual step).
+- A monitoring or backup job that checks this app's health via its API.
+- A configuration-management tool that keeps your host list in sync with
+  something else.
+
+If you're not doing any of that, you don't need an API token — just log in
+normally through the web UI.
+
+## How it works
+
+Create a token from your Profile page, give it a name so you remember what
+it's for later, and optionally an expiry. You'll be shown the token's
+value **exactly once** — copy it somewhere safe immediately, because it
+can't be viewed again afterward (only revoked or rotated). Whatever script
+or tool you're using it with sends it along with each request, the same
+way a browser sends your login session.
+
+A token acts **as you**, with **your** [permissions](concepts-access.html)
+— if you're only a Manager on one domain, a token you create can't touch
+any other domain either. If you ever suspect a token has leaked (ended up
+somewhere it shouldn't have, like a public script or log file), revoke it
+immediately from your Profile page; it stops working right away.
+
+## Want more detail?
+
+This page doesn't attempt to list every API endpoint or show request/
+response examples — for that, see the full [API reference](api.html).
+
+[← Back to Home](index.html)

docs/concepts-dns.md

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: DNS Providers
+description: A plain-language guide to why theta42/proxy needs a DNS provider, and only for wildcard certificates.
+---
+
+# DNS Providers
+
+This page explains, in plain language, what a "DNS provider" is for in this
+app and when you actually need one. For setup steps, see
+[Installation](installation.html).
+
+## Do you need this at all?
+
+**Only if you want a [wildcard host](concepts-hosts.html)** (something like
+`*.example.com` covering every subdomain with one certificate). A normal,
+single-name host doesn't need a DNS provider configured at all — skip this
+page entirely if that's all you're setting up.
+
+## Why a wildcard cert needs this extra step
+
+To prove you actually own `example.com` before issuing a certificate that
+covers *every* possible subdomain of it, Let's Encrypt needs to see a
+specific, temporary DNS record appear on that domain — something only the
+real owner of the domain could add. A normal single-host certificate
+doesn't need this because it can prove ownership a simpler way (by
+responding to a web request instead).
+
+So: to get a wildcard certificate, this app needs to be able to add (and
+later remove) that one temporary DNS record on your domain automatically,
+which means it needs your domain registrar or DNS host's API credentials —
+that's what registering a **DNS provider** here does.
+
+## What you're actually giving it access to
+
+A DNS provider entry only needs enough access to add/remove TXT records —
+it's not given your registrar account's full login, and it can't do
+anything to your domain besides that one narrow task (and, for some
+providers, keeping a dynamic A record updated if you use that feature
+separately). Check your specific provider's page in the
+[Installation guide](installation.html) for exactly what kind of
+credential to generate and how narrowly you can scope it.
+
+## Want more detail?
+
+For exact setup steps per provider (Cloudflare, DigitalOcean, Porkbun,
+DuckDNS, etc.), see [Installation](installation.html).
+
+[← Back to Home](index.html)

docs/concepts-hosts.md

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: Hosts & HTTPS
+description: A plain-language guide to hosts, HTTPS certificates, and wildcards in theta42/proxy.
+---
+
+# Hosts & HTTPS
+
+This page explains, in plain language, what a "host" is and how this app
+gets you working HTTPS without you having to think about certificates. For
+the deeper system-design detail, see [Architecture](architecture.html); for
+step-by-step setup, see [Installation](installation.html).
+
+## What's a "host"?
+
+A **host** is one entry telling the proxy: "when someone requests *this*
+public address, send them to *that* server." For example: requests for
+`photos.example.com` get sent to the little box in your closet running your
+photo app on port 8080. Each app or service you want to reach from outside
+your network — a home automation dashboard, a media server, this proxy's
+own management UI — gets its own host entry.
+
+Two settings on a host are easy to mix up:
+
+- **Incoming host name** — the public address people type in their
+  browser (`photos.example.com`).
+- **Target IP/port** — where the proxy actually sends the request behind
+  the scenes (`10.0.0.5:8080`, or a hostname like `photo-server`).
+
+Everything else on the host form (traffic limits, access rules,
+authentication) is optional — a bare host with just those two fields
+already works.
+
+## HTTPS certificates: mostly automatic
+
+Every public website needs an HTTPS certificate so browsers show the lock
+icon instead of a scary warning. This app gets one for you automatically
+from [Let's Encrypt](https://letsencrypt.org) the first time a host is
+actually requested — you don't manually request, install, or renew
+anything for a normal host. This happens behind the scenes using a method
+called **HTTP-01**, and it's the default for every new host.
+
+## Wildcards: one certificate for a whole family of hosts
+
+Sometimes you want *every* subdomain under one name to work — `app1.`,
+`app2.`, `anything.example.com` — without registering each one by hand and
+waiting for its own certificate. That's what a **wildcard** host does: a
+single host entry named `*.example.com` gets one certificate that covers
+the whole family at once. Setting one up needs one extra piece of
+information the automatic method above doesn't need — see
+[DNS Providers](concepts-dns.html) for why.
+
+Once a wildcard exists, you have two ways to actually use it:
+
+- **Register nothing else, and turn on "Match any subdomain"** on the
+  wildcard host itself — *any* subdomain that doesn't already have its own
+  entry gets automatically routed to the wildcard's target the first time
+  it's requested. Convenient, but it means literal typos and random scan
+  traffic get routed too, not just the subdomains you meant to use.
+- **Register each subdomain as its own host, as a "Parent Wildcard"
+  child** — more setup, but each subdomain can point at a different
+  target/server while still reusing the one wildcard certificate instead
+  of getting its own. This is the recommended default and is what
+  "Match only subdomains defined here" (the host form's default) does.
+
+You'll see the **"Parent Wildcard"** option light up automatically on the
+host form whenever the name you're entering already has a matching
+wildcard available to reuse — including the wildcard's own bare base
+domain (e.g. `example.com` itself, not just `something.example.com`).
+
+## Want more detail?
+
+This page skips the system-internals (Redis, OpenResty, the lookup service)
+and the exact install steps. For those, see
+[Architecture](architecture.html) and [Installation](installation.html).
+
+[← Back to Home](index.html)

docs/installation.md

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ description: Installing the proxy — Docker, bare metal, or as part of the unif
 
 [← Back to Home](index.html)
 
+> Looking for a plainer explanation of hosts, HTTPS, and DNS providers
+> instead of install steps? See [Hosts & HTTPS](concepts-hosts.html) and
+> [DNS Providers](concepts-dns.html).
+
 ## Quick Install (Recommended)
 
 For modern Debian-based systems (Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 11+):

nodejs/api.md

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # API Documentation
 
+> Looking for a plainer explanation of what API tokens are and when you'd
+> want one, instead of a full endpoint reference? See
+> [API Tokens](/docs/api-tokens) (in-app) or
+> [concepts-api-tokens.md](../docs/concepts-api-tokens.md) (repo).
+
 All API endpoints require authentication unless otherwise noted. Three
 authentication methods are supported:
 

nodejs/package-lock.json

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "proxy-api",
-  "version": "1.1.9",
+  "version": "1.1.14",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "proxy-api",
-      "version": "1.1.9",
+      "version": "1.1.14",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@fortawesome/fontawesome-free": "^7.3.0",
@@ -281,9 +281,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@simpleworkjs/conf": {
-      "version": "1.1.0",
+      "version": "1.2.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@simpleworkjs/conf/-/conf-1.1.0.tgz",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@simpleworkjs/conf/-/conf-1.2.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-MKRQQ4JAH2tbEm87NdkmfikTT58Tyk/SFbvCC7zKja0bK6j8zYyBXTQUJ0rnvFOVEalDWd/au4AEiptOCEqgvA==",
+      "integrity": "sha512-X4u1oRb0A0x7wzmyiIH5hPYYIFJYUXhYVe9CPX6G6INouRIeZuHlx0pthHlihiAAIc3+KqZBx18qirFN8RoJwA==",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "extend": "^3.0.2"
@@ -1375,9 +1375,9 @@
       "license": "MIT"
     },
     "node_modules/jq-repeat": {
-      "version": "2.1.0",
+      "version": "2.2.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/jq-repeat/-/jq-repeat-2.1.0.tgz",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/jq-repeat/-/jq-repeat-2.2.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-e1OmSWeBEHEtyOhNVysx0bnT5wd6HlZ37JZgPcGPmACJ0K9bXDPq0xOwrM1slQMSTw7FOSNDX+MD6VwvPeeZyQ==",
+      "integrity": "sha512-OdKAQJ8SOTZzoNL/76o5+WJehXnMCoP8aXbDtZCmDh3vuGGdXfN14FkPTqLpZC5xmlv+QVfTXu/UaIRsDjVuhA==",
       "license": "MIT",
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=14.0.0"

nodejs/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "proxy-api",
-  "version": "1.1.9",
+  "version": "1.1.14",
   "private": true,
   "author": [
     {
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@fortawesome/fontawesome-free": "^7.3.0",
     "@popperjs/core": "^2.11.8",
-    "@simpleworkjs/conf": "^1.1.0",
+    "@simpleworkjs/conf": "^1.2.0",
     "acme-client": "^5.4.0",
     "axios": "^1.13.5",
     "bcrypt": "^6.0.0",
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
     "express": "^5.2.1",
     "express-rate-limit": "^8.5.2",
     "extend": "^3.0.2",
-    "jq-repeat": "^2.1.0",
+    "jq-repeat": "^2.2.0",
     "jquery": "^4.0.0",
     "ldapts": "^8.1.8",
     "linux-sys-user": "^1.2.0",

nodejs/routes/docs.js

@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@ const values = {
 // An explicit slug -> file allowlist, never a user-suppliable path, so
 // there's no way to make this read outside the doc set below.
 const DOCS = {
+	// Plain-language "what is this and why would I use it" guides -- linked
+	// directly from the relevant card in the UI (see the help icon on each
+	// card). Each links onward to the deeper technical doc below for readers
+	// who want the system-design/protocol-level detail.
+	hosts:        {title: 'Hosts & HTTPS',              file: path.join(__dirname, '../../docs/concepts-hosts.md')},
+	dns:          {title: 'DNS Providers',              file: path.join(__dirname, '../../docs/concepts-dns.md')},
+	access:       {title: 'Users, Groups & Permissions', file: path.join(__dirname, '../../docs/concepts-access.md')},
+	'api-tokens': {title: 'API Tokens',                 file: path.join(__dirname, '../../docs/concepts-api-tokens.md')},
+
 	overview:     {title: 'Overview',      file: path.join(__dirname, '../../README.md')},
 	changelog:    {title: 'Changelog',     file: path.join(__dirname, '../../CHANGELOG.md')},
 	deployment:   {title: 'Deployment',    file: path.join(__dirname, '../../DEPLOYMENT.md')},
@@ -54,24 +63,84 @@ function fixImagePaths(html) {
 	return html.replace(/(["(])docs\/images\//g, '$1/docs/images/');
 }
 
+// docs/*.md files (not the repo-root README/CHANGELOG/api.md) carry Jekyll
+// front matter for the GitHub Pages build and a "← Back to Home" link back
+// to that site's index -- both meaningless here (this viewer has its own
+// doc-list sidebar, docs_page.ejs) and, worse, marked() doesn't know front
+// matter isn't regular markdown: it rendered as a garbled heading + stray
+// <hr> at the top of every page. Strip both before rendering.
+function stripJekyllCruft(content) {
+	return content
+		.replace(/^---\n[\s\S]*?\n---\n/, '')
+		.replace(/^\s*\[← Back to Home\]\([^)]*\)\s*\n/m, '');
+}
+
+// Docs cross-link each other as "<slug>.html" (correct for the Jekyll/GitHub
+// Pages build, which is what these same .md files also feed) and
+// "index.html" for the docs home -- neither resolves here, where a doc lives
+// at /docs/<slug> with no .html suffix. Rewrite known doc links to the
+// in-app route, same idea as fixImagePaths() above. Only touches slugs that
+// actually exist, so an unrelated "foo.html" link is left alone.
+// Docs are also linked by their real filename stem (e.g. "concepts-hosts.html"
+// for docs/concepts-hosts.md) -- the correct, working link on the Jekyll/
+// GitHub Pages build, where the URL IS the filename stem. That doesn't match
+// this viewer's own short slugs (DOCS keys, e.g. "hosts"), so also resolve by
+// filename as a fallback -- one link written in a doc works correctly on
+// both targets, rather than needing two different link forms.
+const slugByFilename = Object.fromEntries(
+	Object.entries(DOCS).map(([slug, d]) => [path.basename(d.file, '.md'), slug])
+);
+function fixDocLinks(html) {
+	return html
+		.replace(/href="index\.html"/g, 'href="/docs"')
+		.replace(/href="([a-z0-9-]+)\.html"/g, (match, name) => {
+			const slug = DOCS[name] ? name : slugByFilename[name];
+			return slug ? `href="/docs/${slug}"` : match;
+		});
+}
+
 router.use(docsLimiter);
 
 router.get('/', function(req, res) {
 	res.render('docs_index', {...values, docs: docList});
 });
 
+// Plain, dependency-free line-substring search over the same allowlisted
+// doc set -- no separate index to build/maintain, no new dependency, and it
+// keeps working with no internet access (same reasoning as the rest of this
+// route). Must be registered before the /:slug catch-all below, or "search"
+// would be treated as a (nonexistent) doc slug and 404.
+router.get('/search', function(req, res) {
+	const q = (req.query.q || '').trim();
+	if (!q) return res.json({results: []});
+	const qLower = q.toLowerCase();
+
+	const results = [];
+	for (const [slug, doc] of Object.entries(DOCS)) {
+		try {
+			const content = stripJekyllCruft(fs.readFileSync(doc.file, 'utf8'));
+			const matchLine = content.split('\n').find(line => line.toLowerCase().includes(qLower));
+			if (matchLine) {
+				results.push({slug, title: doc.title, snippet: matchLine.trim().slice(0, 200)});
+			}
+		} catch (error) { /* unreadable doc file -- skip it */ }
+	}
+
+	res.json({results});
+});
+
 router.get('/:slug', function(req, res, next) {
 	const doc = DOCS[req.params.slug];
 	if (!doc) return next({status: 404, message: 'Doc not found'});
 
 	try {
-		const content = fs.readFileSync(doc.file, 'utf8');
+		const content = stripJekyllCruft(fs.readFileSync(doc.file, 'utf8'));
 		res.render('docs_page', {
 			...values,
 			docs: docList,
 			currentSlug: req.params.slug,
 			docTitle: doc.title,
-			docHtml: fixImagePaths(marked(content)),
+			docHtml: fixDocLinks(fixImagePaths(marked(content))),
 		});
 	} catch (error) {
 		next(error);

nodejs/routes/host.js

@@ -128,6 +128,29 @@ router.get('/lookup/:item', authz.requireDomainRole('viewer', authz.resolve.host
 	}
 });
 
+// Is there a wildcard host that could serve as :item's parent (i.e. an
+// already-issued cert :item could reuse instead of getting its own)? Two
+// cases, covered by two different lookups: a brand-new subdomain that has
+// never been created (lookUp()'s normal wildcard fallback finds it, since
+// the name has no leaf of its own yet), and an ALREADY-EXISTING host or the
+// wildcard's own base domain (lookUp() would just resolve to that host's
+// own leaf -- lookUpWildcardParent() checks the sibling "*" slot instead;
+// see its comment in models/host.js). Used by the host create/edit form to
+// decide whether to offer "Parent Wildcard" as a challenge type.
+router.get('/wildcard-parent/:item', authz.requireDomainRole('viewer', authz.resolve.hostParam), async function(req, res, next){
+	try{
+		let match = Model.lookUp(req.params.item);
+		if(!match || !match.is_wildcard){
+			match = Model.lookUpWildcardParent(req.params.item);
+		}
+		return res.json({
+			results: (match && match.is_wildcard) ? match : null,
+		});
+	}catch(error){
+		return next(error);
+	}
+});
+
 // The full lookup tree exposes every host, so restrict it to admins.
 router.get('/lookupobj', authz.requireAdmin, async function(req, res, next){
 	try{

nodejs/test/unit/host_lookup.test.js

@@ -187,6 +187,52 @@ describe('Host wildcard base-domain lookup', () => {
 	});
 });
 
+/**
+ * Tests for the exact fallback combination used by
+ * routes/host.js's GET /wildcard-parent/:item (and, via hostMatchWildcard(),
+ * the host create/edit form's "Parent Wildcard" option) -- lookUp() first
+ * (handles a brand-new subdomain that has no leaf of its own yet), falling
+ * back to lookUpWildcardParent() only when lookUp() didn't resolve to a
+ * wildcard (handles an ALREADY-EXISTING host, which lookUp() would resolve
+ * to its own record). Regression coverage for the edit-form bug where the
+ * "Parent Wildcard" option stayed permanently greyed out for an existing
+ * host, because the route only ever tried lookUp().
+ */
+describe('Host wildcard-parent route fallback (lookUp then lookUpWildcardParent)', () => {
+
+	let Host;
+
+	before(async () => {
+		Host = createMockHostClassWithWildcardParentFix();
+	});
+
+	function findWildcardParent(host){
+		let match = Host.lookUp(host);
+		if(!match || !match.is_wildcard) match = Host.lookUpWildcardParent(host);
+		return (match && match.is_wildcard) ? match : null;
+	}
+
+	test('finds the wildcard for a brand-new subdomain that was never created', async () => {
+		await populateTree(Host, ['*.cool.mysite.com']);
+		const result = findWildcardParent('newthing.cool.mysite.com');
+		assert.ok(result);
+		assert.strictEqual(result.host, '*.cool.mysite.com');
+	});
+
+	test('finds the wildcard for the wildcard\'s own base domain, whether or not it is already a plain host', async () => {
+		await populateTree(Host, ['*.cool.mysite.com']);
+		assert.strictEqual(findWildcardParent('cool.mysite.com').host, '*.cool.mysite.com');
+
+		await populateTree(Host, ['*.cool.mysite.com', 'cool.mysite.com']);
+		assert.strictEqual(findWildcardParent('cool.mysite.com').host, '*.cool.mysite.com');
+	});
+
+	test('returns null when the host has no wildcard sibling at all', async () => {
+		await populateTree(Host, ['cool.mysite.com']);
+		assert.strictEqual(findWildcardParent('cool.mysite.com'), null);
+	});
+});
+
 /**
  * Same mock shape as createMockHostClass() above, plus the parent-record
  * stamp in the tree-population loop and the lookUpWildcardParent() method --
@@ -243,7 +289,11 @@ async function populateTree(Host, hosts) {
 			}
 
 			if(fragments.length === 0){
-				pointer[fragment]['#record'] = {host};
+				// is_wildcard mirrors the real Host model's own field (set
+				// whenever a host is DNS-01 wildcard-issued, i.e. starts with
+				// "*."), needed by tests that check it the same way the real
+				// /wildcard-parent/:item route does.
+				pointer[fragment]['#record'] = {host, is_wildcard: host.startsWith('*.')};
 
 				if(fragment === '*' && !pointer['#record']){
 					pointer['#record'] = pointer[fragment]['#record'];

nodejs/views/dns.ejs

@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@
 					Add DNS Provider
 				</span>
 				<span class="float-end">
+					<a href="/docs/dns" class="text-reset me-2" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
 					<i class="fa-solid fa-circle-minus"></i>
 				</span>
 			</div>
@@ -226,6 +227,7 @@
 			<div class="card-header d-flex align-items-center">
 				<span class="card-icon me-2"><i class="fa-solid fa-tower-broadcast"></i></span>
 				<span class="card-title">Dynamic A Records</span>
+				<a href="/docs/dns" class="text-reset ms-2" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
 				<span class="ms-auto text-muted small">
 					This server's public IP:
 					<span class="badge text-bg-primary fs-6"><i class="fa-solid fa-globe me-1"></i><span id="ddns-current-ip">…</span></span>

nodejs/views/docs_index.ejs

@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@
 					A local copy of this project's documentation, readable from the
 					running app -- no internet access required.
 				</p>
-				<ul class="list-group">
+				<div class="input-group mb-3">
+					<span class="input-group-text"><i class="fa-solid fa-magnifying-glass"></i></span>
+					<input type="search" id="docs-search-input" class="form-control" placeholder="Search the docs…" oninput="docsSearch(this.value)">
+				</div>
+				<div id="docs-search-results" style="display:none"></div>
+				<ul id="docs-list" class="list-group">
 					<% docs.forEach(function(doc){ %>
 						<li class="list-group-item">
 							<a href="/docs/<%= doc.slug %>"><%= doc.title %></a>
@@ -22,5 +27,41 @@
 		</div>
 	</div>
 </div>
+<script type="text/javascript">
+	var docsSearchTimer;
+	function docsSearch(q){
+		clearTimeout(docsSearchTimer);
+		docsSearchTimer = setTimeout(function(){ docsSearchRun(q); }, 200);
+	}
+	function docsSearchRun(q){
+		q = (q || '').trim();
+		var $results = $('#docs-search-results');
+		var $list = $('#docs-list');
+		if(!q){
+			$results.hide().empty();
+			$list.show();
+			return;
+		}
+		// Not app.api.get() -- routes/docs.js is mounted at /docs directly,
+		// not under /api, unlike the rest of this app's endpoints.
+		$.getJSON('/docs/search', {q: q}, function(data){
+			$list.hide();
+			$results.empty().show();
+			var hits = (data && data.results) || [];
+			if(!hits.length){
+				$results.append($('<p class="text-muted"></p>').text('No results for "' + q + '".'));
+				return;
+			}
+			var $ul = $('<ul class="list-group"></ul>');
+			hits.forEach(function(hit){
+				var $li = $('<li class="list-group-item"></li>');
+				$('<a></a>').attr('href', '/docs/' + hit.slug).text(hit.title).appendTo($li);
+				$('<div class="text-muted small"></div>').text(hit.snippet).appendTo($li);
+				$ul.append($li);
+			});
+			$results.append($ul);
+		});
+	}
+</script>
 
 <%- include('bottom') %>

nodejs/views/groups.ejs

@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
 			<div class="card-header text-center">
 				<span class="card-icon float-start"><i class="fa-solid fa-users-gear"></i></span>
 				<span class="card-title">Add Group</span>
+				<a href="/docs/access" class="text-reset float-end" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
 			</div>
 			<div class="card-header actionMessage" style="display:none"></div>
 			<div class="card-body">

nodejs/views/hosts.ejs

@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@
 		hostModal().show();
 	}
 
-	function hostEditOpen(host){
+	async function hostEditOpen(host){
 		hostFormReset();
 		let h = $.scope.hosts.getByKey(host);
 		let $f = $('#hostForm');
@@ -258,8 +258,31 @@
 		let hostRenameable = !h.is_wildcard && !h.wildcard_parent && !h.is_cache;
 		$f.find('[name=host]').prop('disabled', !hostRenameable);
 		$('#host-rename-help').toggle(!hostRenameable);
+
+		// Reflect + enable the challenge-type options actually available for
+		// this host. Setting the host field's .val() above does not fire a
+		// 'keyup' event, so without this the "Parent Wildcard" option stayed
+		// permanently greyed out on edit even when a valid parent wildcard
+		// existed -- it only ever got un-greyed by the user re-typing the
+		// hostname (the keyup handler further down).
+		$('#challengeType-child-container, #challengeType-DNS-01-wildcard-container, #wildcard_matchAny-container')
+			.addClass('challengeType-container');
+
 		if(h.is_wildcard){
+			$('#challengeType-DNS-01-wildcard-container').removeClass('challengeType-container');
+			$('#challengeType-DNS-01-wildcard').prop('checked', true);
 			$('#wildcard_matchAny-container').removeClass('challengeType-container');
+		}else{
+			let wildcardParent = await hostMatchWildcard(h.host);
+			if(wildcardParent){
+				$('#challengeType-child-container').removeClass('challengeType-container');
+				$('#challengeType-child-relatedHost').text(wildcardParent.host);
+			}
+			if(h.wildcard_parent){
+				$('#challengeType-wildcardChild').prop('checked', true);
+			}else{
+				$('#challengeType-HTTP-01').prop('checked', true);
+			}
 		}
 
 		hostModal().show();
@@ -306,10 +329,12 @@
 
 	async function hostMatchWildcard(host){
 		try{
-			let res = await app.api.get(`host/lookup/${host}`);
+			// Not /host/lookup/ -- that resolves an ALREADY-EXISTING host to its
-			if(res.results && res.results.is_wildcard){
+			// own record, not a sibling wildcard (see the route's comment). This
-				return res.results;
+			// dedicated endpoint correctly finds a usable wildcard parent whether
-			}
+			// @host is brand new or already exists as its own host.
+			let res = await app.api.get(`host/wildcard-parent/${host}`);
+			return res.results || false;
 		}catch(error){
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -394,6 +419,7 @@
 				<span class="card-icon me-2"><i class="fa-solid fa-network-wired"></i></span>
 				<span class="card-title fw-bold">Proxy List</span>
 				<span class="ms-auto">
+					<a href="/docs/hosts" class="text-reset me-2" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
 					<button type="button" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary me-2" onclick="hostClearCache(this)" title="Clear cached wildcard subdomain lookups">
 						<i class="fa-solid fa-broom"></i>
 						Clear cache
@@ -527,6 +553,7 @@
 		<div class="modal-content card border-0">
 			<div class="modal-header">
 				<h5 class="modal-title" id="hostModalTitle">Add host</h5>
+				<a href="/docs/hosts" class="text-reset me-2" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
 				<button type="button" class="btn-close" data-bs-dismiss="modal" aria-label="Close"></button>
 			</div>
 

nodejs/views/permissions.ejs

@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
 					<i class="fa-solid fa-user-shield"></i>
 				</span>
 				<span class="card-title">Add Permission</span>
+				<a href="/docs/access" class="text-reset float-end" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
 			</div>
 
 			<div class="card-header actionMessage" style="display:none"></div>
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@
 					<i class="fa-solid fa-list-check"></i>
 				</span>
 				<span class="card-title">Permissions</span>
+				<a href="/docs/access" class="text-reset float-end" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
 			</div>
 
 			<div class="card-header actionMessage" style="display:none"></div>

nodejs/views/profile.ejs

@@ -207,7 +207,9 @@
 <div class="row mt-3">
 	<div class="col-md-4">
 		<div class="card shadow-lg">
-			<div class="card-header"><i class="fa-solid fa-plus"></i> New API Token</div>
+			<div class="card-header"><i class="fa-solid fa-plus"></i> New API Token
+				<a href="/docs/api-tokens" class="text-reset float-end" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
+			</div>
 			<div class="card-header actionMessage" style="display:none"></div>
 			<div class="card-body">
 				<p class="text-muted small">A personal access token lets scripts and services call the proxy management API as you, with your permissions. Treat it like a password.</p>

nodejs/views/users.ejs

@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@
 					Add New User
 				</span>
 				<span class="float-end">
+					<a href="/docs/access" class="text-reset me-2" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
 					<i class="fa-solid fa-circle-minus"></i>
 				</span>
 			</div>
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@
 					User List
 				</span>
 				<span class="float-end">
+					<a href="/docs/access" class="text-reset me-2" title="Help"><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-question"></i></a>
 					<i class="fa-solid fa-circle-minus"></i>
 				</span>
 			</div>

ops/nginx_conf/autossl.conf

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-listen 443 ssl http2;
+listen 443 ssl;
 listen 4443 ssl;
+# The "http2" listen parameter is deprecated since nginx 1.25.1 in favor of
+# this standalone directive, which applies to every "listen ... ssl" in the
+# server block (both 443 and 4443 here).
+http2 on;
 
 ssl_protocols     TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
 ssl_prefer_server_ciphers  on;