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Guide

Everything you need to know to run your projects with Localhoston.

1. Getting Started

  1. Sign up at localhoston.com using your GitHub or Google account
  2. Purchase a license from the Dashboard
  3. Click Download App to get the macOS app
  4. Open the app and sign in with the same account

2. Add a Project

Drag your project folder into the Localhoston window, or click the + button in the sidebar to browse for a folder.

Localhoston automatically detects the framework your project uses and configures the right settings. Supported frameworks:

JavaScript / TypeScript

  • Next.js
  • Vite (React, Vue, Svelte)
  • Nuxt
  • Astro
  • Remix
  • SvelteKit
  • Expo
  • Express / Fastify / NestJS

Python & Others

  • FastAPI
  • Flask
  • Django
  • Streamlit
  • Gradio
  • Flutter

3. Start Your Server

  1. Select your project in the sidebar
  2. Click the Play button next to a service to start it
  3. The status indicator turns green when it's running

To stop a service, click the Stop button. You can also start or stop all services at once from the project header.

If something goes wrong, check the Logs panel below the service row. It shows output from your project's server in real time.

4. Open in Browser

Each service gets its own URL:

http://service.project.localhost:1456

Click the URL badge in the app to open it in your browser. With frameworks like Next.js, Vite, or Nuxt, code changes appear in the browser without refreshing. For backend frameworks like Express or FastAPI, refresh the page to see updates.

5. Monorepo

If your project folder contains multiple apps (a monorepo), Localhoston detects each one as a separate service. You can start and stop them individually.

Supported workspace formats:

  • npm / yarn workspaces
  • pnpm workspaces
  • Turborepo

6. Share

Share your running project with anyone on the internet. The service must be running to use this feature.

  1. Click the menu on a running service
  2. Select Share from the dropdown
  3. A public URL is generated — click Copy to copy it and share with anyone

To stop sharing, click Stop. The public URL will stop working immediately.

7. Deploy to VercelPro

Deploy your project to Vercel with a single click. No need to set up Git repositories or use the command line.

Connect Your Vercel Account

  1. Open Localhoston and go to Settings
  2. Click Connect to Vercel
  3. A browser window will open — sign in to Vercel and approve the connection
  4. Return to Localhoston — you're connected!

Deploy

  1. Click the menu on a service
  2. Select Deploy from the dropdown
  3. Localhoston uploads your project files and creates a Vercel deployment
  4. Once deployed, click the URL to view your live site

Supported Frameworks

  • Next.js
  • Vite (React, Vue, Svelte)
  • Nuxt
  • Astro
  • Remix
  • SvelteKit
  • Create React App

Permissions

Localhoston requests the following Vercel permissions:

  • Deployments — to create deployments and upload files
  • Projects — to create and configure Vercel projects

Your Vercel access token is stored securely in your macOS Keychain. It is never sent to our servers.

Disconnect

To disconnect Vercel, go to Settings and click Disconnect. This removes the access token from your Keychain. You can also revoke access from your Vercel account settings.

8. Settings

Open Settings from the sidebar to customize Localhoston:

  • Theme — switch between Light, Dark, or System
  • Language — English or Korean
  • Proxy Port — change the port used for browser URLs (default: 1456)