Clients and cores · What each does
- Graphical interface
- Import · edit · view logs
- Proxy core
- Protocols · DNS · routing
- Project V
- The V2Ray ecosystem
- Core families
- Xray · V2Fly
The interface can save settings, but the core must be able to process them. Check both.
The open-source Project V ecosystem
Clients and cores: what’s the difference?
V2Ray originated in Project V’s proxy tool ecosystem. The term “V2Ray client” often refers to the graphical interface and proxy core together, but they are not the same thing. v2rayN, v2rayNG, and v2flyNG provide configuration interfaces; the core reads the configuration and handles the connection. Understanding this distinction helps pinpoint whether a failure occurred during import, core startup, or the remote handshake.
V2Fly continues the community-maintained V2Ray line, while Xray developed into a separate core branch from related code. They share some configuration concepts but have evolved different protocol and transport capabilities. Core names are not performance rankings. Choose based on the server settings, protocol support, and client integration; a configuration that works with one core may not work unchanged with another.
Three open-source clients and what they do
v2rayN is a desktop client for managing subscriptions, routing, and core logs in a graphical interface. v2rayNG is an Android client that uses the system VPN interface to handle traffic and is built around Xray. v2flyNG provides an Android GUI for the V2Fly branch. All three are released and maintained as open-source projects. Similar names do not mean their features are identical or that configuration fields can be freely exchanged across platforms.
If your subscription provides standard share links, first check the protocol, transport, and security layer described by the link, then choose a client. VMess, VLESS, and Trojan are protocol names; REALITY is a connection security feature. Saying a client “supports V2Ray” does not explain all of these distinctions. Review the glossary to clarify the terms, then check each setting in the configuration interface.
Open-source licenses and component boundaries
Open-source licenses set the terms for using, modifying, and redistributing code. The V2Ray cores from V2Fly and Xray are licensed under MPL 2.0. Graphical clients and other bundled components may have their own licenses, so a core’s license does not necessarily apply to the entire package. Before redistributing or modifying software, review the license texts and notices for each component.
Public source code supports community review and collaboration, but it does not replace device permission management, checking subscription sources, or reviewing configuration. Server addresses, identifiers, and private subscription links in a client may be sensitive. When reporting an issue, include the error type and relevant settings, but remove credentials. Sharing an entire configuration publicly is usually unnecessary for troubleshooting.
Updating the interface vs. updating the core
A graphical client update may change menus, subscription parsing, or system integration. A core update may change protocol implementation, configuration fields, or network behavior. When a new protocol is incompatible, check both whether the client can generate the required configuration and whether the core supports its fields. Updating the interface alone may not add missing core capabilities; replacing the core alone may not work with the configuration the client generates.
Before updating, save your current configuration and routing settings, and note which combination works. After updating, test a basic connection before restoring custom rules. If something breaks, find the first clear error in the logs and compare it with what changed. Repeatedly updating a subscription will not fix a local permissions issue, and changing routing again and again will not correct an invalid SNI. The more specific your maintenance notes, the easier it is to recover.
Narrow down the cause by error type
If the list is empty after a subscription update, check the link, response content, and filters first. If the core will not start, check configuration fields and local port conflicts. For certificate errors, check the system clock and confirm that the SNI matches the certificate domain. If the connection is established but some apps cannot access sites, check the system proxy’s coverage, DNS resolution, and routing rules in turn. Do not assume every issue is caused by the server.
Test a reproducible symptom: use the same app and destination, and change one setting at a time. If desktop and Android behave differently, compare the core, DNS, and local traffic-capture settings instead of comparing subscription names alone. For common issues, start with Troubleshooting. For rule order, FakeDNS, and custom outbounds, see the advanced configuration guide.
V2Ray Download Hub is an independent resource site that organizes client downloads and guides. The site and client projects are maintained separately. Settings shown here illustrate how options relate; refer to your client’s documentation for its actual menus, protocol support, and system requirements. See the About page for the site’s scope and editorial principles.