Local vs Production URLs

Understanding when to use local URLs versus production URLs is crucial for effective development.

Local URLs

Use local URLs during development to test changes quickly.

Examples:

• http://localhost:3000
• http://10.0.2.2:3000 (Android emulator accessing host machine)
• http://192.168.1.x:3000 (physical device on same network)

When to Use Local URLs

• Developing new features
• Debugging issues
• Testing changes in real-time
• No internet required

Development Workflow

Configuration

Use local URLs during development to test changes quickly.

Examples:

• http://localhost:3000
• http://10.0.2.2:3000 (Android emulator accessing host machine)
• http://192.168.1.x:3000 (physical device on same network)

When to Use Local URLs

• Developing new features
• Debugging issues
• Testing changes in real-time
• No internet required

Configuration

// MainActivity.kt
override fun navigatorConfigurations() = listOf(
    NavigatorConfiguration(
        name = "main",
        startLocation = "http://10.0.2.2:3000"  // Local development server
    )
)

Production URLs

Use production URLs for release builds deployed to users.

Examples:

• https://store.bagisto.com
• https://myapp.example.com

When to Use Production URLs

• Publishing to Play Store
• User testing (QA)
• Beta releases

Configuration

// MainActivity.kt
override fun navigatorConfigurations() = listOf(
    NavigatorConfiguration(
        name = "main",
        startLocation = "https://store.bagisto.com"  // Production
    )
)

Environment Switching

Use build variants to switch between URLs automatically:

// build.gradle.kts
android {
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            buildConfigField("String", "BASE_URL", "\"http://10.0.2.2:3000\"")
        }
        release {
            buildConfigField("String", "BASE_URL", "\"https://store.bagisto.com\"")
        }
    }
}

Best Practices

Environment	URL Type	Purpose
Development	Local	Fast iteration
Staging	Production-like	QA testing
Production	Production	End users

Important Notes

• Local URLs don't work in release builds - Users won't see your localhost
• Use HTTPS in production - Required for WebView security
• Test with production URL before releasing - Catch issues early