OutRay is an open-source tunneling platform that allows developers to expose local applications, APIs, and services to the public internet through secure tunnels. It functions as a modern alternative to tools like ngrok, enabling developers to share locally running servers without deploying them to a remote environment.

The tool works by creating a secure connection between a developer’s local machine and the OutRay edge network. When a public URL is accessed, requests are routed through this tunnel and forwarded to the local server, with responses sent back to the client in real time. This makes it particularly useful for testing webhooks, sharing development environments, or previewing applications.

OutRay includes a CLI for quick setup, a dashboard for managing tunnels, and observability features such as real-time request logs and traffic analytics. It supports multiple protocols including HTTP, TCP, and UDP, and allows users to attach custom domains with automatic SSL configuration.

The platform is designed with performance, security, and developer control in mind. Being open source, it can be self-hosted and customized, making it suitable for teams that want more flexibility and transparency compared to proprietary tunneling solutions.

Key features include:

• Secure tunnels for exposing local servers to the internet
• CLI and dashboard for managing tunnels and workflows
• Real-time request logging and traffic analytics
• Support for HTTP, TCP, and UDP tunneling
• Custom domains with automatic SSL certificates

Common use cases include:

• Sharing local development servers
• Testing webhooks and APIs
• Previewing applications remotely
• Debugging network requests
• Exposing internal tools for external access