How to set up your own Shadowsocks proxy server on a remote Ubuntu VPS for personal use?

Creating your own Shadowsocks proxy server on a rented virtual server provides the highest level of traffic control and independence from commercial services. To implement this task, you will need a VPS with a clean Ubuntu operating system and basic terminal skills via the SSH protocol.

The first step after connecting to the remote server is to update the package lists and install the necessary utilities. It is recommended to use a modern implementation in Go or Python, but the simplest and most performant method in modern conditions is deployment via a Docker container. This isolates the runtime environment and simplifies subsequent maintenance.

To install Docker and run the official Shadowsocks image, execute the container configuration command specifying the port and a secure encryption password. The configuration file sets the port for incoming connections, the encryption method (e.g., chacha20-ietf-poly1305), and the secret key for client authentication.

On the client side, specialized applications supporting Shadowsocks are used to connect to the created server. The user needs to enter the IP address of their VPS, the port number, the chosen encryption method, and the password. After saving the settings, the client application creates a local SOCKS5 proxy through which traffic of specific programs or the entire system can be routed.