PNode Documentation

PNode makes it easy to expose your local applications, APIs, or static frontends to the world without dealing with firewalls, NAT, or complicated deployments. Think of it as your own personal gateway to the Internet.

Getting Started

To use PNode, you will need:

  • A registered PNode account
  • A project (your public domain entry point)
  • An Agent running on your machine to tunnel traffic

Creating an Account

Go to pnode.site and sign up. Once logged in, you can create projects. Each project represents one exposed site or service.

Projects & Domains

When creating a project you will:

  • Choose a project name (this becomes yourname.pnode.site).
  • Automatically receive an Agent API ID and Agent API Token. These are your credentials.
  • Optionally check a box to split frontend and backend domains (see below).

Frontend + Backend Separation

If you enable frontend/backend separation:

  • xxx.pnode.site will serve your frontend (static files).
  • api-xxx.pnode.site will proxy backend requests to your local service.

You can deploy frontend files by uploading a ZIP archive or connecting a Git repository for auto-deployment.

Running the Agent

Install and run the agent directly with npx:

npx start-pnode --project <project-id> --port <local-port>

The agent will connect your local service on <local-port> to the public domain xxx.pnode.site.

Environment Variables

For security, your credentials must be passed as environment variables: 

export AGENT_ID=your-agent-id
export AGENT_TOKEN=your-agent-token

Never hardcode these into your scripts or applications.

Usage Limits

Depending on your plan, there are daily quotas:

  • Number of requests per day
  • Total transferred traffic (upload + download)
  • Maximum size of a single request

If you exceed limits, requests may be throttled or blocked until the next day.

Examples

Expose a Local API

# Run your app locally
node server.js --port 5000

# Expose it via PNode
export AGENT_ID=...
export AGENT_TOKEN=...
npx start-pnode --project myapi --port 5000

Now your API is reachable at myapi.pnode.site or api-myapi.pnode.site if you enabled separation.

Serve a Static Frontend

  1. Create a project called myapp.
  2. Upload your React/Vue/Angular build as a ZIP archive.
  3. Frontend will be available at myapp.pnode.site.
  4. If backend separation is enabled, API calls go to api-myapp.pnode.site.

FAQ

Is it secure?

Yes. Connections between the Agent and PNode are encrypted. Your Agent ID and Token ensure only you can start tunnels for your projects.

Can I run multiple projects?

Yes. Each project has its own domain and credentials. You can run multiple agents at once if needed.

What if I hit usage limits?

Limits reset daily. For heavier usage, you can upgrade your plan once paid tiers are available.