Tunneling

FTL can establish SSH tunnels to your remote dependencies, allowing local access to services running on your servers.

Basic Usage

Create tunnels to all dependency ports:

ftl tunnels

Command Options

Server Selection

When multiple servers are configured, specify the target server:

ftl tunnels --server my-project.example.com

Command Flags

• -s, --server <server>: Specify the server name or index to connect to

Purpose

SSH tunneling is useful for:

1. Local Development

   • Connect to remote databases
   • Access remote services
   • Test against production-like environments

2. Debugging

   • Inspect database contents
   • Monitor service metrics
   • Troubleshoot issues

3. Database Management

   • Run migrations
   • Perform backups
   • Import/export data

Example Usage

Basic Configuration

dependencies:
  - name: postgres
    image: postgres:16
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    env:
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}

Accessing Services

After establishing tunnels:

# Connect to PostgreSQL database
psql -h localhost -p <mapped_port> -U postgres

Best Practices

1. Security

   • Use tunnels only during development
   • Close tunnels when not needed
   • Keep credentials secure

2. Usage

   • Document mapped ports
   • Use consistent port mappings
   • Monitor tunnel status

Common Issues

Connection Failed

If tunnels fail to establish:

• Verify SSH access to server
• Check server configuration
• Ensure ports are available locally

Service Unreachable

If services are inaccessible through tunnel:

• Verify service is running
• Check port mappings
• Ensure dependencies are healthy

Next Steps

1. Configure Health Checks
2. Learn about SSL Management

TIP

Use tunnels during local development to work with your remote services seamlessly.

Reference

• CLI Commands Reference
• Troubleshooting Guide