Added examples, improved docs

README.md

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # A dead simple HTTP vhost proxy routing / port sharing implementation for node.js
 
-This project implements a dead simple HTTP multi domain name / IP /
-directory vhost port forwarding router proxy using the http-proxy module.
-It shows the power of node.js by being implemented in less than 50 lines of code.
+This project implements a simple HTTP multi domain name / IP / directory vhost port forwarding router/proxy
+using the http-proxy module. It does what a reverse proxy does for you combined with some mod_rewrite feature support.
+It also shows the power of node.js by being implemented in less than 100 lines of code.
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
@@ -20,40 +20,67 @@ Make sure:
 
 ## Configuring
 
-A valid configuration file for port-vhoster is written in JSON notation and
-contains 3 sections:
+A valid configuration file for port-vhoster is written in JSON notation as a single object that should provide
+three key/value pairs:
 
-- description = Description to log to the TTY
-- port        = Source port to listen to. This is the port you want to enable port sharing for (e.g. 80)
-- vhosts      = An object containing key ($ip OR $domain/port) and a value (target $ip:$port/$path)
+- description (String) = Description, printed to the terminal on startup.
+- port        (Number) = Source port (share port) to listen to (e.g. 80).
+- vhosts      (Object) = Key ($ip OR $domain/port) / value (target $ip:$port/$path)-pairs of vhost-configurations.
 
 ## Configuration example
 
-The following configuration is a simple routing example. You can add more vhosts to the object
-and register more complex routings (domain name, ip, path) too:
+The following configuration is a simple routing example. You can add more vhosts to the config object too:
 
 ```
 
     {
-        "description": "For example routing all HTTP requests of port 8100 to localhost:8080...",
-        "port": 8100,
+        "description": "Routing with port sharing on port 80 (HTTP) for some domains and paths...",
+        "port": 80,
         "vhosts": {
-            "localhost": "127.0.0.1:8080"
+            "www.aron-homberg.de": "127.0.0.1:8081",
+            "aron-homberg.de": "127.0.0.1:8081",
+            "example.com/downloads": "10.0.0.1:8080",
+            "example.com/uploads": "10.0.0.2:8080/master/golive/upload"
         }
     }
 
 ```
 
-By default you should save the config as plain text file called ```port-vhoster.json```.
+Take a look at the [examples](https://github.com/kyr0/port-vhoster/tree/master/examples) directory for more inspiration.
 
 ## Running the port sharing proxy
 
-Dead simple, just call node to run ```port-vhoster.js``` optionally name an alternative config file path:
+By default, ```port-vhoster``` searches for a config file called ```port-vhoster.json``` in current working directory.
+If you want to use a different name, run ```port-vhoster``` with the optional argument to name the config file:
 
 ```
 
-    [sudo] port-vhoster [alternative-config-file.json]
+    [sudo] port-vhoster [$alternative-config-file.json]
 
 ```
 
-You will need super user permissions if you try the listen to (share) ports below 1024 (e.g. port 80).
+You may need super-user permissions if you want ```port-vhoster``` to listen to a port below 1024 (e.g. port 80).
+
+## Logging and server mode
+
+If you're on a Unix/Linux/Mac OS X system you can run port-vhoster in server mode easily:
+
+Starting (e.g. ```start-vhoster.sh``` - don't forget to: ```chmod +x start-vhoster.sh```!):
+
+```
+    #!/bin/sh
+    echo "Starting port-vhoster..."
+    nohup port-vhoster > port-vhoster.out 2> port-vhoster.err < /dev/null &
+
+```
+
+Stopping (e.g. ```stop-vhoster.sh``` - don't forget to: ```chmod +x stop-vhoster.sh```!):
+
+```
+    #!/bin/sh
+    echo "Stopping port-vhoster..."
+    kill $(ps aux | grep '[port]-vhoster' | awk '{print $2}')
+
+```
+
+For sure, server mode and logging may also be possible on Microsoft Windows platform but that's currently untested.

examples/multidomain_port_80.json

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+    "description": "Shadow-routing HTTP traffic of multiple domains using one shared port (80)...",
+    "port": 80,
+    "vhosts": {
+        "www.aron-homberg.de": "127.0.0.1:8081",
+        "aron-homberg.de": "127.0.0.1:8081"
+    }
+}

examples/subdirectory_rewrite_routing.json

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+    "description": "Routing requests from one domain (port 80), path /downloads to path / on localhost:8082...",
+    "port": 80,
+    "vhosts": {
+        "www.aron-homberg.de/downloads": "127.0.0.1:8082"
+    }
+}