Have you ever built a web app on your local computer and wished you could share it with someone across the world without deploying it to a server? Or maybe you want to test webhooks from Stripe or WhatsApp on your localhost?
That’s where Ngrok comes in as a powerful solution.

Recently, I created an API and needed a temporary link for my backend. I wanted to share the cURL of my API with someone in a different location, but since my server was running on localhost, I wasn’t sure how to do it.

After searching online for ways to temporarily deploy my backend server, I discovered that Ngrok provides a simple solution. I used it, and the other person was able to successfully test my API—it worked perfectly!

This experience was really helpful in testing my API, and it inspired me to write a blog post and share it with the coding community. I know there are already many blogs on this topic, but I love documenting and sharing whatever I build or learn.

So, that’s the story behind this post!

Let’s break it down in a super simple, step-by-step way.

What is Ngrok?

Ngrok is a free tool that lets you expose your local server to the internet. It creates a secure tunnel from your local machine to a public URL.

In plain English:

You build something on your computer → Ngrok gives you a link → Anyone can open that link in their browser to see your local project.

Why use Ngrok?

• Test your app on other devices

• Demo your project to someone remotely

• Use services like Stripe, Twilio, or WhatsApp that require a public URL

• Debug APIs easily from anywhere

How to Use Ngrok (Step-by-Step)

Follow the steps and Let’s get Ngrok up and running in just 5 minutes!

Step 1: Sign Up on Ngrok

1. Go to https://ngrok.com

2. Click on "Sign Up" (you can use GitHub, Google, or email)

3. Once logged in, go to your Dashboard

Step 2: Install Ngrok

Ngrok is a command-line tool. You can install it based on your operating system.

For Windows:

1. Download the installer from https://ngrok.com/download

2. Unzip the downloaded file

3. Move ngrok.exe to a location like C:\\ngrok\\ or add it to your PATH

For Mac/Linux:

brew install ngrok   # For Mac (if you use Homebrew)

Or download directly:

wget https://bin.equinox.io/c/4VmDzA7iaHb/ngrok-stable-linux-amd64.zip
unzip ngrok-stable-linux-amd64.zip
sudo mv ngrok /usr/local/bin

Step 3: Connect Your Account (Set Auth Token)

1. In your Ngrok dashboard, you'll see your Auth Token

   (something like ngrok authtoken 1a2b3c4d...)

   

2. Copy it and paste in your terminal:

ngrok config add-authtoken YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN

Step 4: Start a Tunnel

Let’s say you’re running a local server on port 3000 (like a React or Node.js app):

ngrok http 3000

You’ll now see something like:

Forwarding    <https://abcd1234.ngrok.io> -> <http://localhost:3000>

Open that https://abcd1234.ngrok.io in any browser — or send it to someone else. It points directly to your local app!

Step 5: Test It Out!

Try accessing it from:

• Your phone (make sure it’s not on localhost)

• A friend’s computer

• Postman or CURL for API testing

• Tools like Stripe or WhatsApp webhook testers

Bonus: A Few Pro Tips

• Secure tunnels: Ngrok uses HTTPS out of the box.

• Custom subdomains: With a paid plan, you can use your own subdomain like https://myapp.ngrok.io

• Inspect requests: Ngrok gives you a cool web UI at http://127.0.0.1:4040 where you can see all incoming requests and responses.

Stop Ngrok

Just press Ctrl + C in the terminal where Ngrok is running.

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Use Cases (In Real Life)

• Stripe Webhooks testing

• WhatsApp bot development

• Client demos without deployment

• Backend API debugging on mobile

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Ngrok is like having a magic bridge between your local computer and the internet. Whether you're testing, demoing, or debugging it just works.

If you're a developer, this tool will save you hours of pain. And the best part? It's free to start.

Found this helpful? Drop a comment below — I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences! Happy coding!