𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗩𝗣𝗡𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗩𝗣𝗡𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀

Most developers use a VPN. Most use it wrong.

You log into Google. You use Chrome. You use apps with certificate pinning. In these moments, your VPN protects nothing.

A VPN works at the network layer. It creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a server.

Pick WireGuard. It is fast. It has a small codebase. Small code means fewer risks. Avoid L2TP.

Watch for leaks.

• DNS leaks: Your ISP sees every site you visit.
• WebRTC leaks: Your browser shows your real IP.

Verify your setup. Use the terminal. Check your DNS resolver.

A VPN is not a privacy tool for everything. It changes your IP. It does not stop tracking.

Cookies still work. Session IDs still work. Your login follows you. Routing your traffic through another country does not stop this.

Use a kill switch. It blocks all traffic if the VPN drops. This prevents your real IP from leaking.

Try split tunneling. Route only the traffic you need through the VPN. Keep your local dev traffic separate.

What a VPN does:

• Hides your IP from servers.
• Encrypts public WiFi traffic.
• Hides domains from your ISP.

What a VPN does not do:

• Stop cookie tracking.
• Stop browser fingerprinting.
• Protect you while logged into a service.

Use WireGuard. Test your DNS. Enable a kill switch.

Source: https://dev.to/spicykim/what-a-vpn-actually-does-and-why-most-devs-use-it-wrong-8ok