# Previewhost

> Previewhost starts your app and its services on your machine, assigns local URLs, and keeps previews from different Git worktrees separate.

For coding agents, start with MCP setup. For terminal commands, use CLI quickstart. For a Node.js program, use the library guide.

## Start

- [Introduction](https://previewhost.app/index.md): Previewhost starts your app and its services on your machine, assigns local URLs, and keeps previews from different Git worktrees separate.
- [Installation](https://previewhost.app/installation/index.md): Install Previewhost with npm. Check the Node.js, macOS, and Docker requirements for the features you need.
- [CLI quickstart](https://previewhost.app/first-preview/index.md): Start a frontend and API from your terminal. Open the local URL, read logs, update the app, and stop it.
- [MCP setup](https://previewhost.app/mcp/index.md): Connect your coding agent to Previewhost so it can start your app, read logs, and stop the preview.
- [Node.js library](https://previewhost.app/library/index.md): Serve a local page, check its response, and stop the preview from a Node.js program.

## Guides

- [Write preview.yaml](https://previewhost.app/configuration/index.md): Write preview.yaml to define your app's startup commands, service connections, and readiness checks.
- [Services and jobs](https://previewhost.app/services-and-jobs/index.md): Run migrations and seed scripts before your app starts. Set the order in which services and jobs run.
- [Databases](https://previewhost.app/databases/index.md): Add PostgreSQL or Redis to a preview. Connect your app, keep data between runs, or delete it when finished.
- [Secrets](https://previewhost.app/secrets/index.md): Store API keys and passwords outside preview.yaml. Approve access and enter secret values in a private browser form.
- [Worktrees](https://previewhost.app/worktrees/index.md): Run previews from several Git worktrees at once, with separate ports and managed databases for each worktree.
- [Dashboard](https://previewhost.app/dashboard/index.md): Check running previews, read service logs, and stop or update an app from the browser.

## Help

- [Troubleshooting](https://previewhost.app/troubleshooting/index.md): Fix missing commands, failed starts, broken connections, and a locked keystore. Check logs and recover previews after an error.

## Reference

- [API and CLI](https://previewhost.app/reference/index.md): Find configuration fields, CLI commands, MCP tool arguments, and Node.js API methods.
- [Integrations](https://previewhost.app/integrations/index.md): Configure Vite, Next.js, or a Python server for Previewhost. Check setup notes and tested behavior for coding agents.
- [Security and limits](https://previewhost.app/security/index.md): Application commands run with your user permissions, without a sandbox. Stopping a preview ends its processes but keeps managed database data.