Where should I start in InstaTunnel docs?

Follow this order: Install CLI, authenticate, run first tunnel, then move to MCP/webhooks/referrals based on your use case. Use CLI Flags and Troubleshooting for day-to-day operations.

Last reviewed: March 5, 2026

Compatibility: Core docs align with CLI v1 default and MCP --transport v2 for streaming clients.

Quick command

instatunnel auth login -e you@example.com && instatunnel 3000 --subdomain docs-demo

Common failures and quick fixes

Auth not persisted-Run instatunnel auth set-key it_your_api_key to store your key locally.
Webhook 401 signature errors-Use provider-specific secret verification guides in /docs/webhooks before production tests.

Evidence and trust

Use these references when evaluating compatibility, reliability, and security posture.

Release cadence

CLI and docs release notes are updated continuously, with version-specific compatibility notes.

View release notes

Security controls

Review policy enforcement, auth layers, and operational safeguards in the security whitepaper.

Open security whitepaper

Reliability runbooks

Troubleshooting guides cover common failures, recovery steps, and CLI compatibility baselines.

Read troubleshooting guides

Configuration

Configure InstaTunnel with config files and environment variables for persistent settings.

📁 Configuration Files

Global Configuration

Create a global config file at ~/.instatunnel.yaml:

# ~/.instatunnel.yaml

api_key: "your_api_key_here"

server_url: "https://api.instatunnel.my"

💡 Tip: Config file is automatically loaded if present in your home directory.

Custom Config File

Use a custom config file location with the --config flag:

# Use custom config file

$ instatunnel --config /path/to/config.yaml 3000

Using config file: /path/to/config.yaml

✅ Tunnel created: https://abc123.instatunnel.my

🌍 Environment Variables

Available Environment Variables

InstaTunnel automatically reads environment variables that match config keys:

# Set your API key

$ export API_KEY="your_api_key_here"

# Set custom server URL

$ export SERVER_URL="https://api.instatunnel.my"

# Now these are used automatically

$ instatunnel 3000

🔒 Security: Never commit API keys to version control. Use environment variables for sensitive data.

⚙️ Configuration Priority

InstaTunnel follows this configuration priority (highest priority first):

Command-line flags - --api-key your_key
Environment variables - API_KEY=your_key
Config file - ~/.instatunnel.yaml
Built-in defaults - Fallback values

# Example: Command-line flag overrides everything

$ instatunnel --api-key override_key 3000

✅ Using API key from command line

🛠 Available Configuration Options

Current Options

Option	Flag	Env Variable	Description
`api_key`	`--api-key`	`API_KEY`	Your InstaTunnel API key
`server_url`	`--server`	`SERVER_URL`	InstaTunnel server URL

🎯 Best Practice: Store your API key in the config file (~/.instatunnel.yaml) or environment variable for convenience. Use command-line flags for temporary overrides.