Ports

Forward a port

1. Start the server on the team machine

   In a session, start whatever listens on the port, for example a dev server on port 3000. It must use a port from 1024 to 65535.

2. Forward it

   Press + in the HQ sidebar's Ports view, or right-click a team and choose Forward a Port.... Type the team machine's port, then the port on this computer (leave it as it is to use the same number).

3. Use it

   The Ports view lists the forward as 3000 → localhost:3000, with the team's name. Its buttons open it in your browser (Open in Browser), copy http://localhost:3000 (Copy Local Address), and stop it (Stop Forwarding).

You need editor or owner access to the team and an active plan. Starting a forward wakes a team machine that is off. The status bar counts your active forwards; click the count to open the Ports view.

Ports a session starts

While one of a team's sessions is open in a terminal, the Ports view lists the ports its machine starts listening on, as 8000 detected · Forward?. Press Forward to forward it to the same port on this computer, or Dismiss to hide it.

After a reload

Forwards that were running when you closed the window come back paused (paused · click to resume). Click one to start it again. They never start, or wake a machine, on their own. A forward that HQ ended is paused too, and the extension says "The forward of port 3000 ended."

Good to know

• A forwarded port listens on 127.0.0.1 only, so other computers on your network cannot reach it. Any program on this computer can, while the forward is open.
• On the team machine, a forward reaches whatever listens on that port, including another member's dev server.
• HQ refuses some ports: the Docker API (2375 and 2376), the Node debugger (9229 and 9230), and ports the team machine uses itself. The extension says "Port 2375 cannot be forwarded: the team machine uses it itself."
• Signing out stops every forward.
• If Developer access was turned on after the team's machine started, forwarding waits for one restart. The team's Settings in HQ say "Restart needed so port forwarding works", and an organization owner or admin presses Restart machine there. Sessions pause for about two minutes and come back where they were.

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