EnvTunnel

A free tray app for Windows, macOS, and Linux that detects running development servers and generates QR codes for testing them on phones and tablets on the same local network.

EnvTunnel is a desktop application built with Tauri + React + TypeScript. Start your project in your usual terminal or IDE. EnvTunnel monitors common development ports in the background and generates a QR code with your local network address (e.g. http://192.168.1.15:5173) when the server accepts connections on that address.

Windows, macOS, and Linux. No cloud. No accounts. No internet required. 100% offline.

EnvTunnel focuses on one task: getting an already-running development server onto your phone without typing its IP address. Keep your existing editor, terminal, and project setup; there is no need to import your project or manage it through a separate app launcher.

Despite the name, EnvTunnel currently provides port discovery and LAN QR codes, not a network tunnel or reverse proxy. It does not create public internet links, forward traffic, or change your server's listening address or firewall rules. Public tunnel integrations are possible future contributions.

Your computer and phone need to be on the same local network, with connections between them allowed. The server must listen on a network interface, not only localhost. EnvTunnel checks the computer's LAN address from that computer; this cannot guarantee that a phone can reach it through a firewall or Wi-Fi client isolation.

• Frontend developers who test websites on real phones/tablets
• Full-stack developers running local APIs and web apps
• Designers who want to preview work on mobile devices
• Anyone who is tired of typing 192.168.x.x:3000 on a phone keyboard

EnvTunnel scans these ports out of the box:

You can also add any custom port via the in-app input.

1. Download the installer for your OS from Releases
2. Run it (Windows setup/MSI, macOS .dmg, Linux AppImage/.deb)
3. Launch EnvTunnel from the Start Menu, Applications, or your desktop

Prerequisites:

• Node.js 18+
• Rust 1.77+
• Windows: Visual Studio Build Tools (for legacy_stdio_definitions.lib)
• macOS: Xcode Command Line Tools
• Linux: WebKitGTK 4.1 and related Tauri system packages

Build steps:

# Clone
git clone https://github.com/hsr88/envtunnel.git
cd envtunnel

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build frontend + Tauri (production)
npm run tauri build

# The binary will be at:
# src-tauri/target/release/envtunnel.exe          (Windows)
# src-tauri/target/release/envtunnel              (macOS / Linux)
# plus installers under src-tauri/target/release/bundle/

Note for Windows builders: If you get LNK1181: cannot open input file legacy_stdio_definitions.lib, add this to your LIB environment variable:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.44.35207\lib\onecore\x64

Run your project as usual, e.g.:

npm run dev          # Vite, Astro, Next.js, etc.

Important: Your server must accept connections from the local network. For Vite or Astro, you can pass --host through your development script:

npm run dev -- --host

Other servers may use a different option; use your framework's documented host setting. If EnvTunnel shows LOCAL ONLY, check that setting and restart the server as needed. The selected port's status refreshes after the next scan, so you do not need to select it again.

Active ports appear in the list. Automatic scans wait 3 seconds after the previous scan finishes; you can also click SCAN to refresh manually.

Select the active port. The QR code updates instantly.

Open your camera app and scan the QR code. Your phone browser opens the local URL directly.

If the page does not open, confirm that both devices are on the same local network and that the server's port is allowed through your firewall. Guest Wi-Fi or client isolation can prevent devices from reaching each other even when they use the same Wi-Fi name.

• Custom Path: Type /admin in the Custom section to generate http://192.168.1.15:3000/admin
• Save QR: Click "SAVE QR" to download the code as a PNG
• Open: Click "OPEN" to load the same URL in your desktop browser
• Pick IP: Click the IP if the QR used a VPN/WSL adapter instead of Wi-Fi
• Tray Mode: Clicking X minimizes to system tray. Right-click the tray icon to fully quit.

EnvTunnel is a local-first desktop app. It works completely offline:

1. Rust Backend (src-tauri/src/lib.rs)

   • Lists network interfaces and recommends a LAN address; you can choose another interface
   • Scans ports using TCP connections to IPv4/IPv6 loopback and the selected LAN address
   • Performs HTTP GET requests to detect frameworks from HTML

2. React Frontend (src/App.tsx)

   • Displays active ports as compact buttons
   • Generates QR codes using your network IP (not localhost!)
   • Handles copy/save/autostart UI interactions

3. System Tray (Rust)

   • Keeps the app running in the background
   • Prevents accidental close (hides instead)

Planned work lives in ROADMAP.md: process names, extra default ports, pin a port, HTTPS QR, --host copy, path presets, optional tunnels, global hotkey.

Contributions are welcome! This is an open-source project meant to help developers.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/my-feature
3. Commit your changes: git commit -am 'Add new feature'
4. Push to the branch: git push origin feature/my-feature
5. Open a Pull Request

See ROADMAP.md. Small, focused PRs are preferred.

MIT License. Feel free to use, modify, and distribute.

Built with 💚 and neon green pixels.
EnvTunnel. Stop typing IP addresses on your phone.