# NEAppProxyProvider The principal class for an app proxy provider app extension. ``` class NEAppProxyProvider ``` ## Overview The [`NEAppProxyProvider`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider) class provides access to flows of network data in the form of [`NEAppProxyFlow`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyFlow) objects. Each [`NEAppProxyFlow`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyFlow) object corresponds to a socket opened by an app that matches the app rules specified in the current App Proxy configuration. Your App Proxy Provider acts as a transparent network proxy for the flows of network data that it receives. > Important: > The `com.apple.developer.networking.networkextension` entitlement is required to use the ``doc://com.apple.networkextension/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider`` class. Enable this entitlement when creating an App ID in your developer account. ### DNS Handling In addition to flows of raw network data from applications, the App Proxy Provider also receives flows of DNS queries in the form of [`NEAppProxyUDPFlow`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyUDPFlow) objects. DNS query flows are received only for applications that use low-level DNS resolution APIs such as (). The App Proxy Provider can specify the DNS resolver configuration that will be used by these applications using the [`setTunnelNetworkSettings(_:completionHandler:)`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NETunnelProvider/setTunnelNetworkSettings(_:completionHandler:)) method. Applications that use higher-level networking APIs such as and do not generate DNS queries. Instead the destination hostname for the connection is included in the endpoint information of the [`NEAppProxyFlow`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyFlow) object. ### Creating an App Proxy Provider Extension App Proxy Providers run as App Extensions for the `com.apple.networkextension.app-proxy` extension point. To create a App Proxy Provider extension, first create a new App Extension target in your project. For an example of an Xcode build target for this app extension, see the [SimpleTunnel: Customized Networking Using the NetworkExtension Framework](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/samplecode/SimpleTunnel/Introduction/Intro.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40016140) sample code project. Once you have a App Proxy Provider extension target, create a sub-class of `NEAppProxyProvider`. Then, set the `NSExtensionPrincipalClass` key in the the extension’s `Info.plist` to the name of your sub-class. If it is not already done, set the `NSExtensionPointIdentifier` key in the extension’s `Info.plist` to `com.apple.networkextension.app-proxy`. Here is an example of the NSExtension dictionary in a App Proxy Provider extension’s `Info.plist`: ```xml NSExtension NSExtensionPointIdentifier com.apple.networkextension.app-proxy NSExtensionPrincipalClass MyCustomAppProxyProvider ``` Finally, add your App Proxy Provider extension target to your app’s Embed App Extensions build phase. ### Subclassing Notes In order to create a App Proxy Provider extension, you must create a subclass of `NEAppProxyProvider` and override the methods listed below. #### Methods to Override - [`startProxy(options:completionHandler:)`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider/startProxy(options:completionHandler:)) - [`stopProxy(with:completionHandler:)`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider/stopProxy(with:completionHandler:)) - [`handleNewFlow(_:)`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider/handleNewFlow(_:)) ## Topics ### Managing the app proxy life cycle [`- startProxyWithOptions:completionHandler:`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider/startProxy(options:completionHandler:)) Start the network proxy. [`- stopProxyWithReason:completionHandler:`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider/stopProxy(with:completionHandler:)) Stop the network proxy. [`- cancelProxyWithError:`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider/cancelProxyWithError(_:)) Stop the network proxy from the App Proxy Provider. ### Handling proxied flows [`- handleNewFlow:`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider/handleNewFlow(_:)) Handle a new flow of network data. [`- handleNewUDPFlow:initialRemoteEndpoint:`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NEAppProxyProvider/handleNewUDPFlow(_:initialRemoteEndpoint:)) Handle a new UDP flow of network data. ## Relationships ### Conforms To [`CustomDebugStringConvertible`](/documentation/Swift/CustomDebugStringConvertible) [`Hashable`](/documentation/Swift/Hashable) [`NSObjectProtocol`](/documentation/ObjectiveC/NSObjectProtocol) [`CustomStringConvertible`](/documentation/Swift/CustomStringConvertible) [`Equatable`](/documentation/Swift/Equatable) [`CVarArg`](/documentation/Swift/CVarArg) ### Inherits From [`NETunnelProvider`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NETunnelProvider) ### Inherited By [`NETransparentProxyProvider`](/documentation/NetworkExtension/NETransparentProxyProvider) --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)