Get Started

A public URL for what runs on your computer. lnk tunnel open gives a web app, a model or anything else that speaks HTTP an address anyone can reach, with nothing to set up on your router.

Needs: macOS or Linux, the tunnel plugin (lnk up tunnels, which adds the accounts plugin for your login) and a GitHub account on Local Link's invite list. It's free.

Quickstart

lnk up tunnels                                          # add the tunnel and accounts plugins
lnk auth login                                          # log in with GitHub
lnk tunnel open 3000 --name my-app --auth friend:secret # https://my-app.<you>.local.link -> localhost:3000
lnk tunnel status                                       # your open tunnels, from every machine

Open a tunnel

lnk tunnel open 3000 --name my-app --public   # anyone with the URL
lnk tunnel open 3000 --github alice,bob       # only these GitHub accounts
LINK_AUTH=friend:secret lnk tunnel open 3000  # anyone with the password

The tunnel stays open until you stop the command. Any local web server works, including Next.js and Vite dev servers with hot reload. If the connection drops, lnk reconnects and keeps the same URL.

--name <app> sets the <app> in the URL. It's random otherwise. A second lnk opening the same name takes it over, and the first stops.
You must pick one of --public, --github and --auth, so nothing goes public by accident.

Let in only some people

lnk tunnel open 3000 --name my-app --github alice,bob

Each visitor signs in with GitHub in their browser, and only the accounts you list get in. A sign-in lasts a day. To let someone in or out, open the tunnel again with a new list; whoever is off it is cut off at their next request. Programs without a browser can't sign in: give them a tunnel with --auth.

Protect it with a password

LINK_AUTH=friend:secret lnk tunnel open 3000 --name my-app
curl -u friend:secret https://my-app.<you>.local.link

Visitors log in with that user and password (HTTP Basic). Set LINK_AUTH rather than --auth. Use a long random password: everyone shares it.

Expose a model

lnk tunnel open qwen3 --name qwen --auth friend:secret

Needs the models plugin too. See Share a Model.

See your tunnels

lnk tunnel status

Your open tunnels, from all your computers, with who can reach each.

Use another relay

lnk tunnel open 3000 --public --relay http://localhost:7080  # a local dev relay needs no login

To log in to another relay: Accounts.
--relay <url> or LINK_RELAY picks the relay on open and status. The default is the one you logged in to, else https://local.link.
--token <t> or LINK_TOKEN passes a token on open and status. Prefer the variable.
RUST_LOG=link=debug logs more.

Running your own relay: Run the Relay.

Where things live

Your login is the accounts plugin's: Accounts.
Open tunnels live only in the running lnk and the relay's memory.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Fix
"choose who can reach it"	Add `--public`, `--github` or `--auth`.
"the relay can't sign visitors in with GitHub"	Use `--auth`, or ask the relay's operator.
A visitor sees "Not let in"	Add their account to `--github` and reopen.
"not on this relay's invite list"	Ask the operator for an invite.
Next.js hot reload fails	Add `allowedDevOrigins: ['*.local.link']` to `next.config`.
The visitor gets 502	Start your server, or check the port.
"lnk … is available (you have …)"	`lnk upgrade`.

Every flag: lnk tunnel <command> --help. Logging in: Accounts. What's protected, the limits and the gaps: Security. Why it works this way: Decisions.