How to use the command 'lt' (with examples)
Localtunnel is a command-line tool that allows you to expose your localhost to the internet for testing and sharing purposes. It provides a secure tunnel from a specific port on your local machine to a publicly accessible URL. This article will illustrate various use cases of the ’lt’ command.
Use case 1: Start tunnel from a specific port
Code:
lt --port 8000
Motivation: Starting a tunnel from a specific port allows you to expose a local web server running on that port to the internet. This is useful when you want to share your web application with others or test it on different devices.
Explanation:
--port 8000: Specifies the port number from which the tunnel will be created.
Example output:
your url is: https://unique-subdomain.localtunnel.me
Use case 2: Specify the upstream server doing the forwarding
Code:
lt --port 8000 --host example.com
Motivation: Sometimes, you may want to forward the incoming requests to a specific upstream server instead of the default one. This use case allows you to specify the host to which the requests will be forwarded.
Explanation:
--port 8000: Specifies the port number from which the tunnel will be created.--host example.com: Specifies the upstream server to which the requests will be forwarded.
Example output:
your url is: https://unique-subdomain.localtunnel.me
Use case 3: Request a specific subdomain
Code:
lt --port 8000 --subdomain myapp
Motivation: When sharing your application with others, it can be helpful to have a memorable and recognizable subdomain instead of a randomly generated one. This use case allows you to request a specific subdomain for your tunnel URL.
Explanation:
--port 8000: Specifies the port number from which the tunnel will be created.--subdomain myapp: Specifies the desired subdomain for the tunnel URL.
Example output:
your url is: https://myapp.localtunnel.me
Use case 4: Print basic request info
Code:
lt --port 8000 --print-requests
Motivation: Sometimes, you may need to debug or analyze the incoming requests to your local web server. With this use case, the ’lt’ command will print basic information about each request received.
Explanation:
--port 8000: Specifies the port number from which the tunnel will be created.--print-requests: Enables printing basic request information for each incoming request.
Example output:
...
GET /path/to/resource HTTP/1.1
Host: unique-subdomain.localtunnel.me
...
Use case 5: Open the tunnel URL in the default web browser
Code:
lt --port 8000 --open
Motivation: You might want to quickly open the tunnel URL in your default web browser to verify if the tunnel is working correctly or share the URL with others. This use case allows you to automatically open the tunnel URL in the default browser.
Explanation:
--port 8000: Specifies the port number from which the tunnel will be created.--open: Automatically opens the tunnel URL in the default web browser.
Example output:
Opening https://unique-subdomain.localtunnel.me in your default web browser...
Conclusion:
The ’lt’ command is a powerful tool for easily testing and sharing your local web applications. With its various use cases, you can start a tunnel from a specific port, specify an upstream server, request a specific subdomain, print basic request info, and open the tunnel URL in the default web browser. These features make Localtunnel a valuable asset in your development workflow.
