throneproj/Throne

Overview

Throne is a Qt desktop proxy client powered by sing-box. It manages proxy profiles and subscriptions, applies rule-based routing profiles, and can operate as a system proxy or as a Tun VPN. Besides the GUI, the same application can run headless as a service or in a container, controlled with thronectl. It targets users who need a desktop client for multiple proxy protocols and subscription formats, plus operators who want to run a proxy gateway without the interface.

Quick start

1. Download a portable ZIP or installer for your platform from GitHub Releases.
2. On macOS, the app is distributed without a signing certificate. Move Throne.app to /Applications, then clear the quarantine attribute before the first launch:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Throne.app

The first launch also triggers a built-in privilege escalation that opens Terminal to make the core setuid-root; do this after moving the app out of ~/Downloads, since that step can fail there. Alternatively, the Homebrew cask handles both steps on macOS 14.4 or newer:

brew install --cask throneproj/tap/throne

3. Add a profile from a share link or subscription, select a routing profile, and choose whether to run as a system proxy or Tun VPN. Other Linux packaging options, including the install script, APT/RPM repositories, and AUR, are covered in the installation guide.

Protocols and subscriptions

The client supports SOCKS, HTTP(S), Shadowsocks, Trojan, VMess, VLESS, TUIC, Hysteria, Hysteria2, AnyTLS, Mieru, Snell, NaïveProxy, Juicity, TrustTunnel, ShadowTLS, Wireguard, AmneziaWG, MASQUE, SSH, DNSTT/VayDNS, MasterDNS, Xray VLESS (XHTTP/XDrive), OpenVPN/OpenConnect, custom outbounds and configs for both sing-box and Xray, outbound chaining, and extra cores. Subscriptions can use share links, various JSON representations of sing-box configs, v2rayN link format, and limited Shadowsocks and Clash formats. Deeplinks are also available; see the deeplink documentation.

Constraints

• The macOS build is not signed, so manual quarantine removal is required unless you use the Homebrew cask. The cask requires macOS 14.4 or newer and covers both Apple Silicon and Intel.
• Protocol and subscription coverage is broad but not exhaustive: Shadowsocks and Clash format support is explicitly limited, and features depending on sing-box or an extra core inherit those cores' behavior.
• The headless mode depends on thronectl, a separate tool, and is documented separately from the desktop client.
• The project is licensed under GPL-3.0.

HotRepo's take

The repository shows steady interest rather than a burst: the single recorded snapshot in the C++ daily ranking on 2026-11-09 placed it 9th for that day, with 24 stars gained and 7,789 stars overall. The project has a clearly defined scope—a Qt front end around sing-box with subscription management, routing, and a headless mode—and that combination explains its continuing draw among users who want a desktop client that is not tied to one protocol. The recorded ranking is a one-day observation, so it does not by itself show a longer trend.