A home for your local dev servers

Your local apps.
One familiar address.

Localfox is a macOS menu bar app that starts dev servers and gives them stable, trusted HTTPS addresses on *.localhost.

Localfox finds your dev server and gives it a stable *.localhost domain, even when the underlying port changes.

Install Localfox See how it works

macOS 15+ · Apple Silicon · Install with Homebrew

Your projects, one click away

Finder

Illustrative app preview

Menu bar preview

Less setup. More building.

A steady address for every project.

Localfox handles the command, port, and local HTTPS so you can get back to your app.

A name that stays put.

Open your project at a familiar *.localhost address. Localfox follows the server when its port changes, so your bookmarks and local callbacks keep working.

wishfox.localhost → the port your app actually opened

From folder to running app.

Add a project directory. Localfox detects the framework, package manager, and dev command, then starts and stops the server from the menu bar. Hover a service for Start, Stop, Restart, Open, Copy URL, and Reveal.

Detect · Start · Stop · Restart

Local HTTPS for real work.

Use trusted HTTPS on your Mac through a bundled Caddy proxy. Localfox guides you through the one-time helper and certificate setup.

https://wishfox.localhost

Find it from anywhere.

Press a global shortcut to open the menu from any app. Search by service, domain, framework, command, or port, then use the keyboard to open, start, or stop a service.

⌃⌥L · ↑↓ · Return · ⌘⌫ · Esc

Know when it falls over.

If a server exits, crashes, or is killed, Localfox marks it as failed. A banner shows the reason and a Restart button. You can turn the alerts off in Settings.

Failed · reason · last output · Restart

When you need a closer look

See what your server is doing.

The dashboard keeps each project’s status, command, domain, and output together. Optional request recording shows recent traffic without saving request or response headers.

Watch requests

Turn on request recording to inspect method, path, status, duration, and size for recent traffic. The menu shows the status of the last request beside each port. Localfox reads it from the proxy log and sends nothing to your server.

Check output

See server logs and actionable startup errors beside the project that produced them.

Share when you choose

Open a Cloudflare quick tunnel, or configure a named or SSH tunnel for a running service. Shared addresses are public while active. Hover a shared service in the menu for a QR code that opens the public URL on your phone.

Localfox

3 running1 stopped1 failed1 shared

apiProject: wishfoxhttps://api.wishfox.localhost Stop Restart Open Stop Sharing

Configuration

Framework: NestJS
Command: pnpm dev
Directory: /Users/ondra/Projects/wishfox/api
Port: Auto

Status

State: Running
Domain: api.wishfox.localhost
PID: 4243
Proxying: 127.0.0.1:3041
Public URL: https://example.trycloudflare.com

Requests

No requests yet.

Output

> api@0.4.2 dev
> nest start --watch

[Nest] 4243  - LOG [NestFactory] Starting Nest application...
[Nest] 4243  - LOG [InstanceLoader] AppModule dependencies initialized
[Nest] 4243  - LOG [RoutesResolver] WishlistController {/wishlists}
[Nest] 4243  - LOG [NestApplication] Nest application successfully started

Dashboard preview

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

A few practical details before you install.

What is Localfox?

Localfox is a macOS menu bar app that starts local development servers and gives them stable, trusted HTTPS addresses ending in .localhost. It detects the framework, dev command, and port for each project.

How do I install Localfox?

Install the app with Homebrew using brew install --cask xergic/tap/localfox, or download it from localfox.kandera.cz/download. Localfox then guides you through approving its helper and trusting the local certificate for HTTPS.

How do I update Localfox?

Localfox checks for a new version once a day and asks before it installs one. If services are running, it tells you that installing stops them. You can also choose Check Now in Preferences, or run brew upgrade if you installed it with Homebrew.

Which Macs can run Localfox?

Localfox requires macOS 15 or newer and an Apple Silicon Mac.

Why does a Localfox address keep working when a port changes?

Localfox finds the port your dev server actually opens and updates its bundled Caddy reverse proxy. The project's .localhost address stays the same even when the server uses a different port.

Can I share a service outside my Mac?

Yes. A running service can be shared through a Cloudflare quick tunnel, a configured named tunnel, or an SSH tunnel. Anyone with the public address can reach the service while sharing is active.

Can I open Localfox with a keyboard shortcut?

Yes. A global shortcut opens the menu from any app. The default is Control-Option-L, and you can change it in Settings. The menu has a search field for service, domain, framework, command, and port. Arrow keys move, Return opens or starts, Command-Delete stops, and Escape clears the search.

Does Localfox tell me when a server crashes?

Yes. When a service stops without you asking, the service is marked as failed and a banner shows the reason and a Restart button. Localfox asks for notification permission the first time a service starts. You can turn this off with Notify when a service crashes in Settings.

How does Localfox show the status of the last request?

It reads the request log that the proxy already keeps, so Localfox sends nothing to your server. Hover the status for the method, path, time taken, and when it happened. It needs Record requests to be on, which is the default.

Bring Localfox to your Mac.

Install with Homebrew, then add a project folder. Localfox runs on macOS 15 or newer with Apple Silicon.

View the source on GitHub

Install with Homebrew

brew install --cask xergic/tap/localfox

Requires macOS 15+ and Apple Silicon. No Homebrew? Download the app or get Homebrew . Localfox guides you through local HTTPS setup.

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Explore Portfox

Your local apps.One familiar address.