Testing Zoom integration VS localhost
Use host file to test Zoom integration locally
When developing applications that integrate with Zoom’s APIs, a recurring challenge is testing the authentication flow locally. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at one of the common obstacles: Zoom’s policy against using localhost
as a redirect URL. We’ll also explore a practical workaround that allows you to continue developing and testing locally.
Challenge: Zoom doesn’t like localhost
Developers often find it convenient to test their applications locally using localhost
. However, Zoom’s OAuth 2.0 implementation restricts redirecting to localhost
, which poses a significant challenge. The inability to define a localhost
redirect URL makes it cumbersome to test the application parts of your code that interact with Zoom, resulting in slowed development progress.
Solution: Define custom domain in host file
Thankfully, there’s a method to bypass this restriction, allowing you to test the Zoom OAuth flow locally. Here’s how you can do it:
Update the Host File
- Open in your terminal the file
/etc/hosts
(MacOS) by executingsudo vi /etc/hosts
- Add the line
127.0.0.1 yourapp.localhost
- Test that the connection works
Note: You might have to flush your local DNS cache with sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Define a Valid Zoom Redirect URL
- Go to the Zoom App Marketplace and navigate to your App settings.
- Under the “Redirect URL for OAuth” field, define the domain as
http://yourapp.local
, including the required port, e.g.http://yourapp.local:8080
.
Remember to use `http` instead of `https`, as local SSL certificates might cause additional complications.
Testing the OAuth Flow
- Open a browser and navigate to
http://yourapp.local:8080
- Trigger the Zoom OAuth flow, using a redirect URL pointing to
http://yourapp.local:8080
.
You should now be able to proceed through the OAuth flow as if you were on a live environment.
Happy coding!