TL;DR
BrowserStack Local is a secure tunneling feature that lets you test websites and apps hosted on local machines, staging servers, or behind firewalls. It bridges your private environment with BrowserStack’s cloud so you can run tests on real browsers and devices without exposing your code publicly.
Introduction
Many teams build and test apps in environments that are not accessible to the public internet. Think staging servers, dev environments, or apps running on localhost. These setups make it tricky to run cross-browser or cross-device tests because cloud platforms like BrowserStack usually need public URLs to access apps.
BrowserStack Local solves this problem by creating a secure tunnel from your local or private environment to the BrowserStack cloud. With this, you can test apps that are still in development or hidden behind firewalls. Developers and QA teams can validate features long before production deployment.
What BrowserStack Local Does
Secure tunneling BrowserStack Local creates an encrypted tunnel between your machine or private server and BrowserStack’s infrastructure.
Cross-browser testing of local apps Run functional, regression, and visual tests on apps hosted on localhost or staging environments.
Works with Automate and App Live Local mode is available for both automated test runs (BrowserStack Automate) and manual app testing (App Live).
Firewall and proxy support Local handles environments behind firewalls, proxies, and VPNs without extra setup.
CI/CD compatibility You can launch local tunnels inside CI/CD pipelines so your pre-production builds are tested automatically.
Why Teams Use BrowserStack Local
- Early bug detection: Catch issues before apps go live.
- Security: Apps remain private, no need to expose them to the internet.
- Seamless integration: Works across BrowserStack products without extra configuration.
- Convenience: Test staging and dev builds with the same setup as production builds.
- Scalability: Multiple tunnels can run at once for different environments.
Example Workflow
A QA team is working on a new payments feature that lives in a staging environment behind a VPN. By starting BrowserStack Local, they create a tunnel from the staging server to BrowserStack. Automated tests run on Automate across Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. Meanwhile, manual testers use App Live to explore the same build on iPhones and Android devices. All of this happens without making the staging server public.
BrowserStack Local vs Alternatives
- LambdaTest Tunnel: Similar feature but with fewer customization options.
- Sauce Connect (Sauce Labs): Another tunneling tool, often compared with BrowserStack Local.
- Ngrok: Popular for general tunneling but not tailored for QA workflows.
BrowserStack Local is favored by teams that want integrated, secure, and simple tunneling for QA purposes.
FAQs
Do I need to expose my app publicly to use BrowserStack Local? No, BrowserStack Local lets you test private apps securely.
Does it work with both Automate and App Live? Yes, it works across both products.
Is setup difficult? Setup involves downloading a binary or using npm packages. It takes only a few minutes.
Can multiple users run tunnels at once? Yes, teams can run multiple tunnels for different environments.
Is BrowserStack Local free? It is included with BrowserStack subscriptions at no extra charge.
Conclusion
BrowserStack Local is a vital feature for teams that need to test apps in development, staging, or behind firewalls. It ensures private environments remain secure while still making them testable on real devices and browsers. With quick setup and seamless integration into Automate and App Live, BrowserStack Local helps teams ship confidently without waiting for production deployments.