Routr

Routr is a cloud‑native, lightweight SIP proxy, registrar and location server designed for developers who need a programmable, scalable VoIP backbone. It exposes its core logic through a RESTful API and an optional CLI, while also offering a web‑based GUI for quick diagnostics. The platform is built to run seamlessly in containerised environments—Docker, Docker‑Compose, and Kubernetes—with minimal operational overhead.

Key Features

• Programmable routing – Define SIP routing logic in JSON/YAML or via the Node SDK, allowing dynamic call flows without recompiling the server.
• Location service – Keeps an up‑to‑date SIP URI to endpoint mapping, essential for carrier‑grade routing.
• Registrar – Handles SIP REGISTER/UNREGISTER flows, persisting registrations in a PostgreSQL backend.
• TLS & DTLS support – End‑to‑end encryption for SIP signalling and media, configurable through the API.
• Webhooks & middleware – Trigger external services on SIP events or inject custom logic through Go‑based processors.

Technical Stack

The architecture follows a micro‑service‑friendly model: the SIP proxy runs in its own pod, while database and optional cache services can be scaled independently. Routr’s stateless proxy logic allows horizontal scaling behind a Kubernetes Service or an external load balancer.

Core Capabilities & APIs

• REST API – CRUD endpoints for registration, routing rules, and TLS certificates.
• WebSocket control plane – Real‑time status updates for active calls and registrations.
• SDK hooks – beforeRoute, afterRegister, etc., letting developers inject business logic in Go or Node.
• Event webhooks – Post call‑leg, registration, and error events to external endpoints.
• Configuration via YAML – Runtime reloading of routing tables and TLS settings without restarting the proxy.

These interfaces enable tight integration with existing billing, monitoring, or CRM systems. For example, a Node service can listen to the afterRegister hook and automatically provision a SIP trunk in a third‑party provider.

Deployment & Infrastructure

Routr ships with:

• Docker images – Pullable from Docker Hub; ready for docker run or Compose.
• Helm chart – Full Kubernetes deployment with customizable values (e.g., replica count, persistence).
• Gitpod dev environment – Instant local development with hot‑reload.

The server is intentionally lightweight (<50 MB) and stateless, making it ideal for autoscaling in cloud environments. Persistent data (registrations, routing tables) resides in PostgreSQL; the chart can mount a PVC or use a managed database.

Integration & Extensibility

• Plugin system – Write custom processors in Go; the compiler loads them at runtime.
• Middleware chain – Ordered execution of processors, enabling request/response manipulation.
• Webhooks – JSON payloads sent to user‑defined URLs, facilitating event‑driven architectures.
• SDK extensibility – The Node SDK exposes low‑level API wrappers, so developers can build bespoke tooling or UI dashboards.

These hooks make Routr a flexible foundation for building carrier‑grade VoIP services, conference bridges, or even programmable chatbots that rely on SIP.

Developer Experience

• Documentation – Comprehensive handbook at https://routr.io/docs, covering API reference, SDK guides, and deployment tutorials.
• CLI – routrctl for remote server management (e.g., reload config, view stats).
• Community – Active GitHub Discussions and Discord channel for quick support.
• Licensing – Apache 2.0, allowing commercial use without royalties.

The combination of a concise API surface, clear SDK examples, and container‑first packaging lowers the barrier to entry for developers familiar with Go or Node.

Use Cases

Routr’s design targets developers who need a modern, cloud‑native SIP stack that can be integrated into existing DevOps pipelines and scaled automatically.

Advantages Over Alternatives

• Performance – Go’s goroutines provide low‑latency SIP processing compared to interpreted servers.
• Simplicity – Single binary, minimal dependencies; no need for complex configuration files.
• Container‑first – Native Helm charts and Docker Compose simplify CI/CD pipelines.
• Open source & permissive license – No hidden costs, full control over the codebase.
• Extensible architecture –