ShipLocal

ShipLocal is an open-source localhost tunneling and client collaboration platform for developers who need to securely share local applications over HTTPS and collect feedback before deployment.

With ShipLocal, developers can turn a local application into a shareable public preview in seconds. Clients and teammates can open the preview, interact with the actual application, and leave visual feedback directly on the page. Developers can then view those comments and captured screenshots from their ShipLocal dashboard, making it easier to understand exactly what needs to be changed.

What ShipLocal does

ShipLocal bridges the gap between localhost and client collaboration.

Developers can run:

shiplocal 3000

and receive a public HTTPS URL that can be shared with a client or teammate.

The recipient can open the application in their browser just like a normal website. When they spot something that needs changing, they can use ShipLocal's feedback tools to:

Click directly on the part of the page they are referring to.
Leave a comment describing what should be changed.
Capture a screenshot showing the issue or requested change.
Send the feedback back to the developer.

The developer can then log into the ShipLocal dashboard and see the feedback, including the client's comments and screenshots, along with the context of the preview they were reviewing.

This eliminates much of the traditional back-and-forth of:

"Can you change the button on the left?"

followed by:

"Which button?"

followed by:

"I'll send you a screenshot."

ShipLocal puts the page, feedback, and visual context into one workflow.

Who ShipLocal is for

ShipLocal is designed primarily for:

Freelancers sharing work with clients.
Web development agencies reviewing projects with clients.
Indie founders getting early feedback on products.
Small development teams reviewing work before deployment.
Developers who frequently need to share applications running on localhost.

It is particularly useful for teams that want to iterate quickly without deploying an application every time they need someone to review a change.

Open source & access

ShipLocal follows an open-core model.

The ShipLocal Core is open source and released under the MIT license, allowing developers and teams to inspect, modify, self-host, and contribute to the project.

The broader ShipLocal experience also includes collaboration capabilities such as visual client feedback and the managed cloud experience.

ShipLocal is currently free to use, allowing developers to try the complete workflow and provide feedback as the platform evolves.

Key features

Open-source localhost tunneling for creating secure HTTPS previews.
Instant public URLs for applications running on localhost.
Visual client feedback directly on the live application.
Screenshot capture attached to feedback.
Developer dashboard where comments and screenshots can be reviewed.
Client-friendly previews that can be shared through WhatsApp, email, Slack, or other channels.
Multiple tunnel support for full-stack applications with separate frontend and backend services.
Password-protected previews for private client work.
Self-hosting support for developers and teams who want to run their own infrastructure.
CLI-based workflow designed to get from localhost to a shareable preview quickly.

How the feedback workflow works

The basic workflow is:

1. Developer starts their application

npm run dev

2. Developer starts ShipLocal

shiplocal 3000

3. ShipLocal creates a public preview

The developer shares the generated HTTPS URL with their client.

4. Client reviews the application

The client interacts with the real application running on the developer's machine.

5. Client leaves feedback

They click the relevant part of the page, add a comment, and capture the relevant visual context.

6. Developer receives the feedback

The feedback appears in the ShipLocal dashboard, where the developer can see the comment and screenshot and use that context to make the requested changes.

The goal is simple: