View random ngrok URL when run in background - ngrok

Question

When I start an ngrok client with ./ngrok tcp 22 it runs in the foreground and I can see the randomly generated forwarding URL, such as tcp://0.tcp.ngrok.io:12345 -> localhost:22.
If I run in it the background with ./ngrok tcp &, I can't find any way to see the forwarding URL. How can I run ngrok in the background and still see the URL?

Answer 1

There are a couple of ways.
You can either:
1) Visit localhost:4040/status in your browser to see a bunch of information, or
2) Use curl to hit the API: localhost:4040/api/tunnels

Answer 2

This little Python (2.7) script will call the ngrok API and print the current URL's:
import json
import os
os.system("curl http://localhost:4040/api/tunnels > tunnels.json")
with open('tunnels.json') as data_file:
datajson = json.load(data_file)
msg = "ngrok URL's: \n'
for i in datajson['tunnels']:
msg = msg + i['public_url'] +'\n'
print (msg)

Answer 3

If you want to get the first tunnel then jq will be your friend:
curl -s localhost:4040/api/tunnels | jq -r .tunnels[0].public_url
When running more than one instance of ngrok then use the tunnel name /api/tunnels/:name.

Answer 4

Run ./ngrok http & This runs the ngrok tunnel as a background process. Ngrok usually opens a window showing the assigned URL but since we are using the nohup command this is not visible.
Thus, then run curl http://127.0.0.1:4040/api/tunnels too see the URL assigned by ngrok

Answer 5

If it helps anyone I wrote a quick script to extract the generated random url in Node:
It makes assumption you're only interested in the secure url.
const fetch = require('node-fetch')
fetch('http://localhost:4040/api/tunnels')
.then(res => res.json())
.then(json => json.tunnels.find(tunnel => tunnel.proto === 'https'))
.then(secureTunnel => console.log(secureTunnel.public_url))
.catch(err => {
if (err.code === 'ECONNREFUSED') {
return console.error("Looks like you're not running ngrok.")
}
console.error(err)
})
If you wanted all tunnels:
const fetch = require('node-fetch')
fetch('http://localhost:4040/api/tunnels')
.then(res => res.json())
.then(json => json.tunnels.map(tunnel => tunnel.public_url))
.then(publicUrls => publicUrls.forEach(url => console.log(url)))
.catch(err => {
if (err.code === 'ECONNREFUSED') {
return console.error(
"Looks like you're not running ngrok."
)
}
console.error(err)
})

Answer 6

import json
import requests
def get_ngrok_url():
url = "http://localhost:4040/api/tunnels/"
res = requests.get(url)
res_unicode = res.content.decode("utf-8")
res_json = json.loads(res_unicode)
for i in res_json["tunnels"]:
if i['name'] == 'command_line':
return i['public_url']
break
This is an edit of JUN_NETWORKS python 3 code. It outputs the HTTPS URL only. I find Ngrok will randomly change the order of which is URL is displayed first sometimes outputting HTTP. The additional loop will consistently look for the 'tunnel' named 'command_line' which is the HTTPS URL.

Answer 7

The easiest way for me to check random generated URL is to go to ngrok official site > dashboard > endpoints > status and check the URLs and status of my endpoints

Answer 8

In Python3
import json
import requests
def get_ngrok_url():
url = "http://localhost:4040/api/tunnels"
res = requests.get(url)
res_unicode = res.content.decode("utf-8")
res_json = json.loads(res_unicode)
return res_json["tunnels"][0]["public_url"]
This returned json have 2 url for http and https.
If you want only https url, you res_json["tunnels"][index num]["proto"]

Answer 9

If you love PowerShell, here it is in variables.
$ngrokOutput = ConvertFrom-Json (Invoke-WebRequest -Uri http://localhost:4040/api/tunnels).Content
$httpsUrl = $ngrokOutput.tunnels.public_url[0]
$httpUrl = $ngrokOutput.tunnels.public_url[1]

Answer 10

Use the ngrok API to get all active URLs
You will need to generate a token first (https://dashboard.ngrok.com/api)
Then fetch the active endpoints from the API
curl \
-H "Authorization: Bearer {API_KEY}" \
-H "Ngrok-Version: 2" \
https://api.ngrok.com/endpoints
check documentation: https://ngrok.com/docs/api/resources/endpoints

Answer 11

In Ruby
require 'httparty'
# get ngrok public url
begin
response = HTTParty.get 'http://localhost:4040/api/tunnels'
json = JSON.parse response.body
new_sms_url = json['tunnels'].first['public_url']
rescue Errno::ECONNREFUSED
print 'no ngrok instance found. shutting down'
exit
end

Answer 12

A Node.js solution.
Bonus: It copies the url to the clipboard in Windows, Mac and Linux1
const http = require("http");
const { execSync } = require("child_process");
const callback = (res) => {
let data = "";
res.on("data", (chunk) => (data += chunk));
res.on("end", () => {
const resJSON = JSON.parse(data);
const tunnels = resJSON.tunnels;
const { public_url: url } = tunnels.find(({ proto }) => proto === "https");
console.log(url);
// Copy to clipboard
switch (process.platform) {
case "win32":
execSync(`echo ${url} | clip`);
break;
case "darwin":
execSync(`echo ${url} | pbcopy`);
break;
case "linux":
// NOTE: this requires xclip to be installed
execSync(`echo ${url} | xclip -selection clipboard`);
break;
default:
break;
}
});
};
http.get("http://localhost:4040/api/tunnels", callback);
[1] You need to install xclip first:
sudo apt-get install xclip

Answer 13

If you're using nodejs I did this
const getURL = async () => {
// inspect if the callback is working at: http://127.0.0.1:4040/inspect/http
const ngrok = await import('ngrok')
const api = ngrok.getApi();
const { tunnels } = JSON.parse(await api?.get('api/tunnels') ?? '{}')
// if we already have a tunnel open, disconnect. We're only allowed to have 4
if (tunnels?.length > 0) await ngrok.disconnect()
return await ngrok.connect(3000)
}

Answer 14

May be I'm a little too late in answering but would be glad if it is helpful for anyone visiting the question.
***Above answers are solutions to see/check the redirection URL. However to run ngrok in background, you could try using screen in linux . Incase you need help here a quick reference
Steps:
1. Just run the ngrok in screen and then detach.
2. Use the python script given by Gerard above to see the URL.
I have followed the same process and it works!

Answer 15

There is a better way to do that just login to your account on ngrok.com.
Your URL will be in your dashboard.