---
title: "Private apps"
description: "Run an app with no public URL — loopback only, reached from other apps or over an SSH tunnel."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.homeport.sh/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Private apps

Omit `domain:` and set `internal: true` and the app binds to `127.0.0.1` with
**no Caddy fragment and nothing on 80/443**.

```yaml title="homeport.yaml"
internal: true
```

Reach it two ways:

- **From other apps on the box** — `http://127.0.0.1:<port>` (service-to-service).
- **From your laptop** — `homeport tunnel` forwards a local port over SSH:

```sh
homeport tunnel            # → http://localhost:<port>  (Ctrl-C to close)
homeport tunnel 8080       # pick the local port
```

`homeport tunnel` works for public apps too, when you want private access
without going through the internet.

> **Internal apps scale too**
>
> An internal app can run `replicas` — Caddy load-balances it on loopback, so
> callers keep using `127.0.0.1:<port>` but get HA and more cores. See
> [Resources & scaling](/guides/resources-and-scaling).

Source: https://docs.homeport.sh/guides/private-apps/index.mdx