Privacy and Local Data

Privacy and Local Data

ProxAI is a local compatibility proxy. That makes it useful for debugging, but it also means local files can contain provider configuration, request metadata, captured payloads, and diagnostics.

Treat captures as sensitive

Captures can contain prompts, tool arguments, provider output, file snippets, model names, and request timing. Do not commit or share them without review and redaction.

Local artifacts

Artifact	Privacy expectation	Commit?
config.toml	Local runtime config; may contain provider URLs, API key references, route choices, or local-only settings.	No
config.example.toml	Tracked example and documentation source; must stay sanitized and generic.	Yes
captures/	Request/response phase payloads for debugging; can contain private prompts and tool data.	No
logs/	Local diagnostics; should stay compact and body-safe, but still may reveal operational context.	No
Generated site output	Static docs build artifacts.	No unless intentionally configured otherwise

Privacy contracts

P1

Do not log secrets

Request bodies, Authorization headers, API keys, and private prompts should not appear in default logs.

P2

Capture narrowly

Enable the smallest useful phase: inbound_request, provider_request, upstream_response, or outbound_response.

P3

Docs follow verified behavior

If privacy behavior is uncertain, inspect implementation and tests before documenting or sharing assumptions.

P4

Share sanitized evidence

Prefer symptoms, status codes, phase names, error types, redacted headers, and trimmed payload structure over full private captures.

Safe sharing workflow

1. 1

   Classify the symptom first

   Goal: Avoid capturing more data than needed.

   Do

   • Identify whether the issue is startup config, route matching, provider transport, protocol conversion, streaming, or client rendering.
   • Use compact logs before enabling payload capture.

   Verify: You know which phase is most likely to explain the issue.

   TroubleshootingError Responses
2. 2

   Capture one phase

   Goal: Limit the private data surface.

   Do

   • Enable one capture phase only.
   • Prefer the phase closest to the suspected boundary.
   • Reproduce once with the smallest prompt/tool input possible.

   Verify: The capture answers the question without needing the full request lifecycle.

   Capture PhasesObservability
3. 3

   Redact before sharing

   Goal: Preserve useful structure while removing private content.

   Do

   • Remove API keys, Authorization headers, private prompts, file contents, personal data, and proprietary tool arguments.
   • Keep protocol values, phase names, status codes, error types, and minimal structural snippets.

   Verify: A maintainer can understand the boundary failure without seeing private data.

   Behavior ContractsEnvironment and Files

What is safe to include in reports

Usually useful	Avoid or redact
ProxAI version, OS, command shape without secrets	API keys, bearer tokens, full environment dumps
Inbound protocol and request path	Full prompts or private file snippets
Provider protocol and route name/pattern when sanitized	Private provider account details or internal URLs
Error type, HTTP status, preserved safe headers such as Retry-After	Full upstream error bodies if they contain prompts or account data
Minimal JSON shape with placeholder values	Complete captures unless explicitly reviewed and sanitized

For exact local paths and ignored artifacts, see Environment and Files. For phase names, see Capture Phases.