Manage connections from local servers for XCUI tests

Manage incoming connections from private or localhost servers for testing apps using XCUITest on BrowserStack App Automate. Test your apps on a real device cloud.

When your app connects back to a service on your own machine or private network, you decide which of those incoming connections travel over the Local Testing tunnel. This page shows how to allow or restrict them for your XCUITest runs.

Test apps that retrieve data from localhost servers

Once you’ve enabled Local Testing, our remote devices will be able to access apps that retrieve data from your localhost servers. Use your test scripts to access and interact with your apps. Remember to use the local parameter when executing the test:

curl -u "YOUR_USERNAME:YOUR_ACCESS_KEY" \
-X POST "https://api-cloud.browserstack.com/app-automate/xcuitest/v2/build" \
-d '{"local": "true", "devices": ["iPhone 8 Plus-11.0"], "app": "bs://f5L3azt9pLzE995f49376eb1fa3c284dc321f8d", "testSuite": "bs://6eb1fa3c284ddbe9971b2d1aee0d52943b9c081"}' \
-H "Content-Type: application/json"

Test apps that retrieve data from private or internal servers

You can securely test mobile apps that retrieve data from private or internal servers using --force-local on our remote mobile devices. This option resolves all requests (on our remote devices) through your local machine.

To enable this option, use command-line interface to establish the Local Testing connection:

Via command-line interface:

Use the --force-local flag while establishing a Local Testing connection.

./BrowserStackLocal --key YOUR_ACCESS_KEY --force-local

BrowserStackLocal.exe --key YOUR_ACCESS_KEY --force-local

After establishing the Local Testing connection, use your test scripts to access and interact with your internally-hosted website (for example, staging.example.com).

Test apps that retrieve data from servers behind a firewall and/or VPNs

With Local Testing, you can test apps that retrieve data/assets from internal servers that are behind firewalls and/or VPNs.

Start by making sure that you can access the app on your machine. Then, set up a Local Testing connection by following the steps listed in Test apps that retrieve data from private or internal servers.

Connection duration and disconnection

The Local Testing connection is persistent. Your machine and BrowserStack Cloud remain connected unless you explicitly end the connection. In the following scenarios, ensure that you open and close the connection by following the steps:

Related topics

• Manage your uploaded app or test suite using our upload app REST API and upload test suite REST API.

• Use the get app API endpoint and list test suites API endpoint to list your recently uploaded apps and test suites.

• Delete your uploaded app or test suite using the delete app API endpoint and delete test suite API endpoint.