Localhost Support - Local Development Testing

This documentation is for Stably Classic. For the new Stably Web Editor, see Stably Web Editor.

Stably supports creating tests on localhost. This is useful if you want to test your application in a local environment.

Setting Up Localhost Testing

To create tests for your localhost application, you need to expose your local server to the internet using a tunneling service. We recommend using ngrok, a popular and reliable tunneling solution.

Step 1: Start Your Local Application

First, ensure your application is running locally on your desired port (e.g., 3000):

# Example: Start your application
npm start  # or your application's start command

Make note of the port your application is running on (default is usually 3000, 8000, or 8080).

Step 2: Install and Set Up ngrok

Download ngrok from https://ngrok.com/download and install it.
Create a free ngrok account at https://ngrok.com
Authenticate ngrok with your auth token (available in your ngrok dashboard):

ngrok config add-authtoken YOUR_NGROK_AUTH_TOKEN

Step 3: Create the Tunnel

Run ngrok to create a tunnel to your local application:

# Replace 3000 with your application's port
ngrok http 3000

For example, if your app runs on port 8080:

ngrok http 8080

ngrok will display output similar to:

ngrok                                       (Ctrl+C to quit)

Session Status                online
Account                       your-email@example.com
Version                       3.x.x
Region                        United States (us)
Forwarding                    https://xxxx-xx-xxx-xxx-xx.ngrok.io -> http://localhost:3000
Connections                   0/0

Step 4: Use Your Public URL

Copy the forwarding URL (e.g., https://xxxx-xx-xxx-xxx-xx.ngrok.io) and use it in the Stably App to point your tests to your local environment.

Important Notes

The tunnel will remain active as long as the ngrok process is running. To stop the tunnel, press Ctrl+C in your terminal.
Free ngrok accounts have some limitations (session timeout after 2 hours, limited bandwidth). For production testing or longer sessions, consider upgrading to a paid plan.
Each time you restart ngrok, you’ll get a new public URL. For persistent URLs, ngrok offers this feature on paid plans.

​Setting Up Localhost Testing

​Step 1: Start Your Local Application

​Step 2: Install and Set Up ngrok

​Step 3: Create the Tunnel

​Step 4: Use Your Public URL

​Important Notes

Setting Up Localhost Testing

Step 1: Start Your Local Application

Step 2: Install and Set Up ngrok

Step 3: Create the Tunnel

Step 4: Use Your Public URL

Important Notes