localhost:
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macOS

Keychain prompts for Secrets.

localhost on macOS is a native SwiftUI app with a menu bar companion. It needs macOS 15 or later, on Apple silicon or Intel. For the first launch of a build that isn’t notarized, see Install.

Keychain prompts for Secrets

Secret values live in your login Keychain. macOS lets the app that saved them read them without asking, and recognises “the same app” by its code signature:

  • Release builds are signed with the same certificate every time, so updating keeps access: no prompts.
  • Builds signed ad hoc (including ones you build yourself) look like a new app after every update. The first time each Secret is used, macOS asks “localhost wants to use your confidential information stored in “io.github.marcellosso.localhost.secret” in your keychain”. Enter your login password and click Always Allow.
  • When the signing identity changes (for example once releases are notarized), macOS asks once for each Secret on that one update.

Deny isn’t remembered: Services that use that Secret fail to start, and the next start asks again.

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Install localhost for macOS

Two quick steps, usually under a minute.

  1. Drag it to Applications

    Open localhost-0.1.0.dmg and drag localhost to Applications.

    Download localhost-0.1.0.dmg

  2. Open it the first time

    localhost isn’t notarized by Apple yet, so macOS blocks the first launch once:

    1. Click Done in the warning.
    2. Open System Settings › Privacy & Security and scroll to Security.
    3. Click Open Anyway, and confirm with your password or Touch ID.

    Or run this in Terminal, then open localhost:

    xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/localhost.app

macOS 15 or later · Apple silicon or Intel

  1. Run the installer

    Open localhost_0.1.0_x64-setup.exe. It installs for your user only, no administrator rights needed.

    Download localhost_0.1.0_x64-setup.exe

  2. Get past SmartScreen

    The installer isn’t signed by a known publisher yet, so Windows says “Windows protected your PC”:

    1. Click More info.
    2. Check that the file is localhost_0.1.0_x64-setup.exe.
    3. Click Run anyway.

Windows 10 or 11 · x64 · WSL 2 for Projects in WSL

  1. Download your package

    Ubuntu, Debian.debFedora.rpmAny distroAppImage

  2. Install it

    From the folder you downloaded it to:

    sudo apt install ./localhost-app_0.1.0_amd64.deb
    sudo dnf install ./localhost-app-0.1.0-1.x86_64.rpm
    chmod +x localhost-app_0.1.0_amd64.AppImage && ./localhost-app_0.1.0_amd64.AppImage

    Secrets need a Secret Service (GNOME Keyring, KWallet). On stock GNOME the tray icon needs the AppIndicator extension.

x86_64 · Ubuntu 22.04+ · Debian 12+ · Fedora

On another system?Install guide →