# VyOS Documentation

> Complete guide to configuring and operating VyOS - the Linux-based network operating system for routers, firewalls, and VPN gateways

Source: https://opennix.org/en/docs/vyos/


Welcome to the VyOS documentation - VyOS is a Linux-based network operating system designed for building routers, firewalls, and VPN gateways.

## About VyOS

VyOS is a full-featured open-source network OS that provides:

- **Routing**: Static, OSPF, BGP, RIP
- **VPN**: IPsec, WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec
- **Firewall**: Stateful firewall with security zones
- **NAT**: Source/Destination NAT, Port Forwarding
- **High availability**: VRRP, VRRP sync groups
- **QoS**: Traffic shaping and prioritization
- **Containers**: Podman for running applications
- **API**: REST API for automation

## Documentation sections

### First steps

- [Quick start](first-steps/vyos-quick-start) - Configure a NAT gateway in 10 minutes
- [Installation and image management](first-steps/vyos-installation) - Installing on various platforms
- [Command-line interface](first-steps/vyos-cli) - Operational mode and configuration
- [Configuration overview](first-steps/vyos-config-overview) - The hierarchical management system

### Administrator guide

- [VyOS automation](admin-guide/vyos-automation) - REST API, Ansible, Python
- [Operational mode](admin-guide/vyos-operation-mode) - Show commands and monitoring
- [Troubleshooting](admin-guide/vyos-troubleshooting) - Troubleshooting and diagnostics
- [Configuration blueprints](admin-guide/vyos-blueprints) - Ready-made solutions

### VPN

- [WireGuard](vpn/vyos-wireguard) - Modern high-performance VPN
- [IPsec](vpn/vyos-ipsec) - Enterprise-grade site-to-site VPN
- [OpenVPN](vpn/vyos-openvpn) - SSL VPN with TLS
- [L2TP/IPsec](vpn/vyos-l2tp) - VPN for Windows/macOS clients

### Security

- [Firewall](firewall/vyos-firewall) - nftables firewall
- [NAT](nat/vyos-nat) - Source/Destination NAT and Port Forwarding
- [PKI](pki/vyos-pki) - Certificate and CA management

### Routing protocols

- [Static routing](routing/vyos-static) - Static routes and default gateway
- [OSPF](routing/vyos-ospf) - Open Shortest Path First
- [BGP](routing/vyos-bgp) - Border Gateway Protocol for autonomous systems

### Services

- [DHCP Server](services/vyos-dhcp) - DHCPv4 server for autoconfiguration
- [DHCPv6 Server](services/vyos-dhcpv6) - DHCPv6 for IPv6 networks
- [DNS Forwarding](services/vyos-dns) - DNS forwarding and caching
- [SSH](services/vyos-ssh) - SSH server and access configuration
- [NTP](services/vyos-ntp) - Time synchronization
- [HTTPS API](services/vyos-https) - REST API for automation
- [SNMP](services/vyos-snmp) - Monitoring via SNMP
- [DDNS](services/vyos-ddns) - Dynamic DNS client
- [LLDP](services/vyos-lldp) - Link Layer Discovery Protocol
- [TFTP](services/vyos-tftp) - TFTP server
- [Web Proxy](services/vyos-webproxy) - Squid proxy server

### Interfaces

- [Ethernet](interfaces/vyos-ethernet) - Physical Ethernet interfaces
- [VLAN](interfaces/vyos-vlan) - 802.1Q VLAN interfaces
- [Bridge](interfaces/vyos-bridge) - L2 bridge with STP
- [Bond](interfaces/vyos-bond) - Link aggregation (LACP)
- [Tunnel](interfaces/vyos-tunnel) - GRE, IPIP tunnels
- [VTI](interfaces/vyos-vti) - Virtual Tunnel Interface for IPsec
- [Loopback](interfaces/vyos-loopback) - Loopback interfaces
- [Dummy](interfaces/vyos-dummy) - Dummy interfaces

### System configuration

- [User management](system/vyos-login) - Users, SSH keys, RADIUS
- [Syslog](system/vyos-syslog) - Logging and remote syslog
- [Time zone](system/vyos-timezone) - Timezone and NTP
- [IP parameters](system/vyos-ip) - System IP settings
- [Task scheduler](system/vyos-task-scheduler) - Cron-like scheduler

### Additional capabilities

- [Containers](containers/) - Podman containers
- [High Availability](ha/) - VRRP and fault tolerance
- [Load Balancing](loadbalancing/) - WAN link balancing
- [Policy Routing](policy/) - Policy-based routing
- [QoS](qos/) - Quality of Service and Traffic Shaping
- [VRF](vrf/) - Virtual Routing and Forwarding

## Useful resources

- [Official VyOS documentation](https://docs.vyos.io/)
- [VyOS Forum](https://forum.vyos.io/)
- [VyOS GitHub](https://github.com/vyos/)
- [VyOS Wiki](https://wiki.vyos.net/)