> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stably.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Test with localhost

> Use ngrok to expose a local app on localhost:3000 so Stably can test it from a cloud browser.

When your app is running on `localhost:3000`, a Stably cloud browser cannot reach it directly because it is only available on your machine. Use a secure tunnel like [ngrok](https://ngrok.com) to create a public HTTPS URL that forwards to your local server.

## 1. Start your app

Run your app locally and confirm it is available at `http://localhost:3000`.

```bash theme={null}
npm run dev
```

## 2. Start an ngrok tunnel

Install ngrok from [ngrok.com/download](https://ngrok.com/download), then run:

```bash theme={null}
ngrok http 3000
```

ngrok will print a forwarding URL like this:

```text theme={null}
Forwarding  https://abc123.ngrok-free.app -> http://localhost:3000
```

Keep this terminal open while Stably runs your tests.

## 3. Use the ngrok URL in Stably

Copy the HTTPS forwarding URL and use it as the target URL in Stably.

For example, instead of testing:

```text theme={null}
http://localhost:3000
```

test:

```text theme={null}
https://abc123.ngrok-free.app
```

If your test starts on a specific route, append the route to the ngrok URL:

```text theme={null}
https://abc123.ngrok-free.app/dashboard
```

## Tips

* Restarting ngrok usually creates a new URL, so update the URL in Stably after each restart.
* Keep both your local app server and the ngrok tunnel running for the full test run.
* If your app uses OAuth callbacks, webhooks, or allowed origins, add the ngrok URL to the relevant allowlist while testing.
* For local-only CLI runs on your own machine, you can still point tests directly at `http://localhost:3000`.

## Writing Playwright tests with Orca

You can also write Playwright tests in [Orca](https://onorca.dev), Stably's open source agent IDE. Orca helps you work directly in your codebase, create or edit Playwright tests, and iterate against your local development server.