cfex - Cloudflare Exposer CLI

Expose your local services to the internet using your domain names via Cloudflare's tunneling technology. With cfex, you can create instant HTTPS endpoints for any local service without port forwarding or static IPs.

What is cfex?

cfex (Cloudflare Exposer CLI) simplifies creating secure tunnels between your local development environment and the internet. It leverages Cloudflare’s tunnel technology to:

• Expose local services via HTTPS endpoints.
• Use custom domain names for development and testing.
• Access your services behind firewalls or NAT.
• Test webhooks and APIs locally without additional setup.

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Why cfex?

When developing web applications, cfex is useful for:

• Sharing local development servers: Share your work with clients or team members.
• Webhook testing: Test external integrations directly from your local environment.
• Accessing local services on mobile: Use your app on other devices.
• Demoing features: Quickly share links for feedback without deploying.

With cfex, you can:

# Share your React app
cfex dev.yourdomain.com:3000    # https://dev.yourdomain.com

# Expose your API
cfex api.yourdomain.com:8080    # https://api.yourdomain.com

# Test webhooks
cfex webhook.yourdomain.com:4000 # https://webhook.yourdomain.com

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Quick Start

Prerequisites

1. Cloudflare Account with Registered Domain: Sign up for free.
2. cloudflared Installed: Install cloudflared.
3. jq Installed:
   • macOS: brew install jq
   • Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install jq
4. Cloudflare API Token: Create API Token with:
   • Permissions: Zone-DNS Edit and Zone-Read
   • Zone: Include the domain you want to use.

Installation

# Install cfex
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/muthuishere/cfex-cli/main/install.sh | bash

Authenticate Cloudflared

cloudflared tunnel login

This command:

• Opens Cloudflare's login page.
• Creates a certificate at ~/.cloudflared/cert.pem.

Set API Token

export CLOUDFLARE_API_KEY='your-api-token'

For persistence:

echo 'export CLOUDFLARE_API_KEY="your-api-token"' >> ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc
source ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc

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Usage

Expose Services

# React/Vue/Angular dev server
cfex dev.yourdomain.com:3000

# Local API server
cfex api.yourdomain.com:8080

# Webhook testing
cfex webhook.yourdomain.com:4000

Manage Tunnels

# List tunnels
cfex list

# Delete tunnel(s)
cfex delete domain.com

# Show help
cfex --help

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Troubleshooting

1. Installation Issues:

   • Verify cloudflared and jq are installed.
   • Check permissions for installation directories.

2. Authentication Issues:

   • Ensure the API token is set and valid.
   • Re-run cloudflared tunnel login if needed.

3. DNS Issues:

   • Allow time for DNS propagation.
   • Verify domain ownership and permissions.

4. Connection Issues:

   • Ensure the service is running on the specified port.
   • Check for port conflicts or firewall settings.

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Platform Support

• Linux
• macOS
• Windows (via WSL):
  • Install WSL: wsl --install in PowerShell (Admin).
  • Restart your computer.
  • Follow Linux setup instructions.

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Alternatives

• ngrok: Subscription required for custom domains.
• LocalTunnel: Free, but lacks features like DNS management.
• cloudflared: The native client that cfex simplifies.

cfex provides a streamlined solution for exposing your local services using Cloudflare, making it ideal for developers working with custom domains and secure tunnels.