Live; App Live (using Chrome 31+ or Firefox 38+)

If you have already installed the features extension after signing into BrowserStack, Local Testing will be enabled. There is no additional setup required.

Users have the option of ensuring all traffic routes via their local machine exclusively by selecting the Resolve all URLs through my network checkbox. For example, if there is a public URL like "browserstack.com", but you have /etc/hosts entry for "browserstack.com" mapping to localhost or some other IP, this option will drive all 'browserstack.com' requests from remote browser/mobile device via your machine.

Live (using other browsers); Automate

Use the steps below to setup a Local Testing connection or view our use cases for more help.

1. Download the appropriate binary:
   • OS X (10.7 and above)
   • Linux 32-bit
   • Linux 64-bit
   • Windows (XP and above)

   The download links are secure. The binaries are digitally signed, identifying the publisher as 'BrowserStack Ltd.'

2. Navigate to the folder containing the binary, and run it from the command-line interface.

To test a private server, execute the binary:

./BrowserStackLocal --key ACCESS_KEY

A Local Testing session would have been initialized for Live and Screenshots. Automate users can now start running local tests.

Localhost

Enable Local Testing and type the address, for example localhost:3000, in the remote browser, and browse as you would on your local machine.

Private or internal server

Enable Local Testing and type the address, for example staging.example.com, in the remote browser, and browse as you would on your local machine.

HTTPS

Enable Local Testing and type the address, for example https://localhost:3000, in the remote browser, and browse as you would on your local machine.

Content served from multiple servers

Enable Local Testing and type the address, for example staging.example.com, in the remote browser. If there is content served from other URLs like assets1.staging.example.com and assets2.staging.example.com, they will work the same as on your local machine.

Subdomains

Enable Local Testing and type the address, for example dev.example.com, in the remote browser. If there are subdomains like user1.dev.example.com and user2.dev.example.com, they will work the same as on your local machine.

Configuration in hosts file

When using Local Testing, your /etc/hosts file is respected by default, and the public setting is used only when there is a conflict. To ensure that all the traffic is routed via your local machine, select the Resolve all URLs through my network checkbox when enabling Local Testing. Type the address in the remote browser and browser as you would on your local machine.

HTML design folders

Enable Local Testing, and select a folder for testing. Type the address in the remote browser and access as normal.

./BrowserStackLocal --key ACCESS_KEY --folder /Users/test/browserstack

Behind a proxy

Enable Local Testing and type the address, for example staging.example.com, in the remote browser, and browse as you would on your local machine.

./BrowserStackLocal  --key ACCESS_KEY --proxy-host <proxy_host> --proxy-port <proxy_port>

./BrowserStackLocal --key ACCESS_KEY --local-proxy-host <browsermob_proxy_host> --local-proxy-port <browsermob_proxy_port> --local-proxy-user <proxy_username> --local-proxy-pass <proxy_password>

PAC file support

PAC file stands for Proxy Auto-Configuration file. It is a javascript function that determines whether a request should be sent via the web proxy server or not. You can use PAC files on BrowserStack using the --pac-file parameter

./BrowserStackLocal --key ACCESS_KEY --pac-file <pac_file_abs_path>

function FindProxyForURL(url, host) {
  if (isPlainHostName(host))
 	  return "DIRECT";
  else
 	  return "PROXY proxy:80";
}             

Behind a firewall or VPN

If your private or internal server is behind a firewall or only accessible through VPN, all you need to do is set up Local Testing. There is no extra configuration required; only ensure that your machine can access the private server. For more information, contact support.

Whitelist BrowserStack IPs

If you are testing a server that requires IP whitelisting, set up a Local Testing connection and select the checkbox.

./BrowserStackLocal --key ACCESS_KEY --force-local

Multiple Local Testing Connections

If you are using same account to test multiple applications, you can setup named connection using the localIdentifier option

1. Run the BrowserStackLocal binary with the localIdentifier option

   • OS X & Linux
   • Windows

   ./BrowserStackLocal --key ACCESS_KEY --local-identifier Test123

   Here, we have created a named connection called Test123.

2. Once the connection is made, you need to set the browserstack.localIdentifier capability with the correct named connection

   desired_cap['browserstack.local'] = True
   desired_cap['browserstack.localIdentifier'] = 'Test123'
   

Determining the status of local binaries via API

Use the Local testing API to check the status of all your running local testing binaries

https://www.browserstack.com/local/v1/list?auth_token=ACCESS_KEY&last=5&state=running

Disconnect a local testing binary connection via API

Use the Local testing API to disconnect an active connection via the local binary

curl -X DELETE "https://www.browserstack.com/local/v1/QUERTY1?auth_token=ACCESS_KEY"

Get the list of binary instances

GET /local/<version>/list 

https://www.browserstack.com/local/v1/list?auth_token=ACCESS_KEY&last=5&state=running

  {
    "api_version": "v1",
    "meta_data": { "params": {}}
    "instances": [
      {
        "lastActiveOn": "2016-07-19 14:19:43 +0000",
        "localIdentifier": "",
        "email": "[email protected]",
        "commandLineParams": "--key ACCESS_KEY --enable-logging-for-api",
        "public-IP": "8.8.4.4",
        "hostname": "my-local-box",
        "endTime": null,
        "disconnectReason": null,
        "startTime": "2016-07-19 14:12:58 +0000",
        "privateIP": ["127.0.0.1", "10.100.100.1", ….],
        "id": "QUERTY1"
      },
     {
        "lastActiveOn": "2016-07-19 14:19:43 +0000",
        "localIdentifier": "test-1",
        "email": "[email protected]",
        "commandLineParams": "--key ACCESS_KEY --enable-logging-for-api --local-identifier test-1",
        "public-IP": "8.8.4.4",
        "hostname": "my-local-box",
        "endTime": null,
        "disconnectReason": null,
        "startTime": "2016-07-19 14:12:58 +0000",
        "privateIP": ["127.0.0.1", "10.100.100.1", ….],
        "id": "QUERTY2"
      },
    ...
      ]
  }
              

Retrieve details of a binary instance using its ID

GET /local/<version>/<id> 

https://www.browserstack.com/local/v1/QUERTY1?auth_token=ACCESS_KEY

  {
    "api_version": "v1",
    "meta_data": { "params": {}}
    "instances": [
      {
        "lastActiveOn": "2016-07-19 14:19:43 +0000",
        "localIdentifier": "",
        "email": "[email protected]",
        "commandLineParams": "ACCESS_KEY --enable-logging-for-api",
        "public-IP": "8.8.4.4",
        "hostname": "my-local-box",
        "endTime": null,
        "disconnectReason": null,
        "startTime": "2016-07-19 14:12:58 +0000",
        "privateIP": ["127.0.0.1", "10.100.100.1", ….],
        "id": "QUERTY1"
      }
      ]
  }
              

Error states

Disconnect a running binary using its ID

DELETE /local/<version>/<id> 

 curl -X DELETE "https://www.browserstack.com/local/v1/QUERTY1?auth_token=ACCESS_KEY"

  {
    "api_version": "v1",
    "meta_data": { "params": {}},
    "message": "QUERTY1 successfully disconnected" / "QUERTY1 was already disconnected"
  }
              

Error states