PanelDOCSv1.0.0

HF Local (desktop app)

HF Local is the free desktop app for building websites on your own computer, on Windows, macOS and Linux.

HF Local is a free desktop app that runs a complete local web server on your own computer: Apache or Nginx, PHP, MariaDB (MySQL), and optionally PostgreSQL, Redis and Node.js. You build and test websites locally, then share them with a public link through HF Tunnel.

It runs on Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit), macOS 11 or newer (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora and others; x86-64 and ARM).

HF Local was called HF Server before. Installing HF Local over HF Server updates it in place: your sites, databases and settings stay where they are (see The HF Local folder).

What it does

Page What it does
Control panel start and stop Apache, Nginx, MySQL, PostgreSQL and Redis; see ports, memory and the activity log
Sites every folder in htdocs is a site at name.localhost; WordPress, Laravel and JavaScript projects are recognised
New site WordPress, Joomla, Laravel, Nextcloud, Moodle, React, Nuxt and more in one click
Docker run Redis, PostgreSQL, Mailpit and other tools in containers; start, stop and read their logs
Databases create, back up, import and browse databases; daily backups
Tunnel give a site a free public https:// link
Mail catch every email your sites send; write test emails
Logs live server logs
PHP common php.ini settings and extensions
Components install, update and switch versions of every server
Ports which programs use which ports
Settings ports, HTTPS, start-up, backups, outgoing mail and updates
HTTPS and phones Use https:// for your local sites with HF Local's own certificate, trust it once, and test your sites on a phone on the same network.
Uninstall Remove HF Local completely from Windows, macOS or Linux, and choose whether to keep your websites and databases.

There is also a terminal command, hostfog, for everything above: see Command line.

Note: HF Local is for building websites on your own computer. Everything listens only on this computer (127.0.0.1) unless you allow other devices on your network. For live websites, use an HF Panel server.

Get started

  1. Install HF Local.
  2. Open Components and click Install on each server you need.
  3. Open Control panel and click Start all.
  4. Put your website in the htdocs folder, or click New site on the Sites page.
Install HF LocalControl panelComponentsSitesNew siteHTTPS and phonesDatabasesDockerMail catcherLogsPHP settingsPortsSettingsSharing a siteKeyboard and mouseCommand lineUninstall