How can I share a service running on my laptop without deploying it first?

You can share a service running locally on your laptop using VibeControls[1] through its Managed Tunnels for Local Services[2]. This allows you to expose local dev servers, staging APIs, or databases at a managed URL without configuring firewall rules, setting up complex VPNs, or deploying your code first.

Here is how the workflow operates:

1. Create a tunnel: Under Infrastructure > Tunnels, select New tunnel.
2. Select target and protocol: Choose the agent running on your machine, select the protocol (HTTP, TCP), and enter your local port and target address.
3. Configure policies & security: Set your desired visibility (private, internal, or public) and add optional basic authentication or tags. You can also define time-limited access windows (such as 1, 4, or 24 hours) for external beta testers and reviewers[3].
4. Start and share: Once started, VibeControls mints a public URL that you can immediately share with collaborators or external clients.

Concept illustration(opens in a new tab) Illustration of the concept, not a screenshot of the actual product — Managed Tunnels for Local Services[2]

From the central dashboard, you can track live traffic, request rates, data transferred, and latency. When testing is complete, URLs with time limits expire automatically, or you can revoke access and stop the tunnel in a single click.

To learn more, explore the Managed Tunnels concept walkthrough[2] or view the guide for time-limited beta tester tunnels[3].