SOP 003: Expose a Local Service

Fresh

Field	Value
SOP ID	SOP-003
Version	1.0
Status	Active
Last Updated	2026-02-13

Purpose

Create an ngrok tunnel to expose a locally running service to the internet via a public HTTPS URL.

Prerequisites

• ngrok installed and authenticated (SOP 001, SOP 002)
• A local service running on a known port

Procedure

HTTP Endpoint (Most Common)

Expose a web app running on port 8080:

ngrok http 8080

ngrok displays a console UI showing your public URL:

Forwarding   https://abc123.ngrok-free.app -> http://localhost:8080

With a Custom Domain

ngrok http 8080 --url https://example.ngrok.app

Forward to Non-Local Service

ngrok http 192.168.1.2:80

Forward to Local HTTPS

ngrok http https://localhost:8443

TCP Endpoint

For SSH, databases, or other non-HTTP protocols:

ngrok tcp 22

TLS Endpoint

For TLS-wrapped protocols:

ngrok tls 80 --url tls://your-name.ngrok.app

Multiple Endpoints

Define endpoints in your config file, then start them by name:

ngrok start webapp api database

What You Get

• Public HTTPS URL with a valid TLS certificate (auto-managed)
• Console UI showing traffic stats and request inspector
• Free dev domain assigned automatically on free plans

Verification Checklist

• [ ] Local service is running and accessible at localhost:PORT
• [ ] ngrok http PORT shows forwarding URL
• [ ] Public URL loads successfully in browser
• [ ] Console UI displays incoming requests

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Connection refused	Ensure local service is running on the specified port
502 Bad Gateway	Local service crashed or isn't responding
Tunnel session expired	Free accounts have session limits; restart ngrok
ERR_NGROK_8012	Account limit reached; upgrade or close other tunnels

See Also

• SOP 004: Configure Traffic Policy
• Webhook Testing Workflow
• Commands Reference