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Ngrok

Source: https://github.com/ngrok/ngrok (CLI open source; service is proprietary)
License: MIT (CLI)
Alternatives: Cloudflare Tunnel, Tailscale, localtunnel, bore
Status: Unnecessary with VPN

Punches a hole to the internet, allowing access to a specific port on your machine from anywhere without port forwarding on your router.

Features

Instant HTTPS Tunnels: Expose any local port with a public HTTPS URL in one command
Request Inspection: Built-in dashboard to inspect and replay incoming HTTP requests
TLS Termination: Handles SSL certificates automatically
TCP & TLS Tunnels: Supports non-HTTP protocols (SSH, databases, etc.)
Custom Subdomains: Stable URLs on paid plans (random URLs on free tier)

ngrok http 80

# Generate run command from env vars
source .env && echo "ngrok http --url=$NGROK_URL $PORT"

Features