Using LocalTunnel with Upstash QStash: E-commerce Use Case

With Localtunnel, sharing a web service on your local development workstation is simple and doesn't require tinkering with firewall and DNS settings. On the other hand, Upstash QStash offers a unique way to handle serverless messaging for distributed applications. Often, developers want to expose their local environments for testing webhooks or integrating with external services—a scenario where a localtunnel service comes in handy. I will explore how to use Upstash QStash with a localtunnel and present a trending real-world use case: building a serverless e-commerce notification system. Prerequisites Before we begin, ensure you have the following: An Upstash account with access to QStash. A local development environment with Node.js installed. The localtunnel npm package installed. You can install it using: npm install -g localtunnel Setting Up Local Tunnel Local Tunnel allows you to expose your local server to the internet securely. Let’s set it up: Start your local server (e.g., a Node.js/Express app) on a specific port, such as 3000. Run the following command to expose your local server: lt --port 3000 This will provide you with a public URL like https://your-app.loca.lt that tunnels to your local server. Integrating QStash with Local Tunnel QStash provides a powerful way to enqueue messages and process them using serverless functions or APIs. Here’s how you can integrate it with your local environment using Local Tunnel: Step 1: Create a QStash Queue Log in to your Upstash account and navigate to the QStash dashboard. Create a new queue for your application. Note the queue’s endpoint and the API key for authentication. Step 2: Set Up Your Local API to Handle Webhooks For example, using Express.js: const express = require('express'); const bodyParser = require('body-parser'); const app = express(); const PORT = 3000; app.use(bodyParser.json()); app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => { console.log('Webhook received:', req.body); res.status(200).send('Webhook processed successfully!'); }); app.listen(PORT, () => { console.log(`Server running on http://localhost:${PORT}`); }); Step 3: Send Messages to QStash Using the public URL provided by Local Tunnel, you can now send messages to your local API via QStash. Here’s an example using the Upstash QStash SDK: const { QStashClient } = require('@upstash/qstash'); const qstash = new QStashClient({ token: 'YOUR_QSTASH_API_KEY', }); (async () => { const response = await qstash.publish({ destination: 'https://your-app.loca.lt/webhook', body: JSON.stringify({ orderId: '12345', status: 'Shipped' }), }); console.log('Message published:', response); })(); Trending Use Case: E-Commerce Notification System Imagine you’re building a serverless e-commerce platform where users are notified in real time about their order status. Using QStash with Local Tunnel, you can: Handle Order Updates: When an order is updated (e.g., payment confirmed, shipped, or delivered), your backend publishes a message to QStash. Notify Local Development: During development, you can test the notification logic by receiving QStash messages in your local environment via Local Tunnel. Simulate Delayed Messaging: QStash supports delayed messages. For instance, you can send a follow-up notification to remind the user to review the product after 7 days. Here’s how this workflow might look: Step 1: Publishing Order Updates const orderNotification = async (orderId, status) => { await qstash.publish({ destination: 'https://your-app.loca.lt/webhook', body: JSON.stringify({ orderId, status }), delay: 0, // Immediate notification }); }; orderNotification('12345', 'Shipped'); Step 2: Handling Notifications Locally Your local API receives and processes the messages: app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => { const { orderId, status } = req.body; console.log(`Order ${orderId} is now ${status}`); res.status(200).send('Notification received'); }); Step 3: Testing Delayed Messages Simulate sending a reminder after a delay: await qstash.publish({ destination: 'https://your-app.loca.lt/webhook', body: JSON.stringify({ orderId: '12345', message: 'Please review your purchase!' }), delay: 604800, // Delay in seconds (7 days) }); Benefits of QStash with Local Tunnel Serverless and Scalable: No need to maintain a queue server or polling mechanism. Easy Development and Debugging: Test webhooks locally with Local Tunnel before deploying to production. Built-in Delays and Scheduling: Schedule notifications effortlessly with QStash’s built-in delay support. Secure Integration: Use QStash’s authentication and validation to ensure secure communication. To Sum Up: LocalTunnel Ecommerce Use Case Using Upstash QStash with Local Tunnel simplifies the process of tes

  npm install -g localtunnel

   lt --port 3000

const express = require('express');
const bodyParser = require('body-parser');

const app = express();
const PORT = 3000;

app.use(bodyParser.json());

app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => {
  console.log('Webhook received:', req.body);
  res.status(200).send('Webhook processed successfully!');
});

app.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`Server running on http://localhost:${PORT}`);
});

const { QStashClient } = require('@upstash/qstash');

const qstash = new QStashClient({
  token: 'YOUR_QSTASH_API_KEY',
});

(async () => {
  const response = await qstash.publish({
    destination: 'https://your-app.loca.lt/webhook',
    body: JSON.stringify({ orderId: '12345', status: 'Shipped' }),
  });

  console.log('Message published:', response);
})();

const orderNotification = async (orderId, status) => {
  await qstash.publish({
    destination: 'https://your-app.loca.lt/webhook',
    body: JSON.stringify({ orderId, status }),
    delay: 0, // Immediate notification
  });
};

orderNotification('12345', 'Shipped');

app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => {
  const { orderId, status } = req.body;
  console.log(`Order ${orderId} is now ${status}`);
  res.status(200).send('Notification received');
});

await qstash.publish({
  destination: 'https://your-app.loca.lt/webhook',
  body: JSON.stringify({ orderId: '12345', message: 'Please review your purchase!' }),
  delay: 604800, // Delay in seconds (7 days)
});

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