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

# Port Forwarding

> Configure port forwarding to access local services on Thunder Compute. Map internal ports to your local machine for efficient testing and debugging.

<Columns cols={3}>
  <Card title="VS Code" icon="window" color="#95c5ea" className="platform-card platform-current">
    Editor extension
  </Card>

  <Card title="CLI" icon="terminal" href="/cli/operations/port-forwarding" color="#95c5ea" className="platform-card">
    Command line
  </Card>

  <Card title="Console" icon="browser" href="/console/operations/port-forwarding" color="#95c5ea" className="platform-card">
    Web interface
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Port Forwarding

Forward ports directly from the Thunder Compute sidebar in VS Code. Your service gets a public HTTPS URL with automatic DDoS protection.

### Forward a Port

1. In the **Thunder Compute** sidebar, find your running instance
2. Right-click the instance and select **Forward Port**
3. Enter the port number(s) to forward

Your service becomes available at:

```
https://<instance-uuid>-<port>.thundercompute.net
```

### Manage Forwarded Ports

Forwarded ports appear as child items under your instance in the sidebar. For each port you can:

* **Open in Browser** - click the globe icon next to the port
* **Copy URL** - click the copy icon to copy the public HTTPS URL
* **Remove** - click the trash icon to stop forwarding

### Limitations

* **Port 22 is reserved** for SSH and cannot be forwarded
* **Valid port range**: 1-65535
* **HTTP only**: Your service must speak HTTP or gRPC. Other protocols like raw TCP or UDP are not currently supported.

For CLI-based port forwarding, see the [CLI guide](/cli/operations/port-forwarding).