A desktop VPN client for managing connections and rules for apps and websites.
V2Ray-style clients expose many technical networking settings that can be confusing for everyday users. My friend, the developer, wrote guides running to thousands of words and sometimes explained over a call how to route an app or website through the VPN.
These difficulties shaped the redesign: make connection and rule management easier to understand, with technical settings kept separate.
A friend and I are building Voilea. Around 20 people use the previous desktop version.
I designed the new version from scratch: its structure, every screen and visual style. My friend handles implementation; we worked through routing behaviour and advanced settings together.
The home screen starts with connection status and a single button, with server selection close by. Connection time, latency and traffic sit below.
Three modes explain what happens to traffic: follow the rules, send everything through the VPN or connect directly. The main connection controls are available without opening settings.
A long flat list mixes rules for different tasks. I proposed grouping related rules into sets so people could manage restriction bypass and ad filtering independently.
Several sets can be enabled at once. Someone who needs only one set loses nothing.
The first set routes media and an application through the VPN; the second blocks a tracker. The local network remains accessible directly. Turn off one set or both to see how the routes change.
The form lets people select apps, add addresses and choose an action: Proxy sends traffic through the VPN, Direct connects directly and Block stops it. When both the app and address lists are filled in, both conditions must match. A hint in the form explains this relationship.
The preview shows how the rule will appear in the list. A name, icon and colour help distinguish it from other rules. Advanced conditions cover IP addresses and subnets, ports and protocols.
I designed the DNS settings at the developer's request: provider selection, query encryption and separate rules. Together, we worked through technical constraints and the order in which rules apply, which is explained below the table.
Logs have their own section. Search and level filters help locate a message while keeping technical detail away from the home screen.
