199
votes

I use ASP .NET and Facebook Connect APIs. but when I run the app and press Connect button it's return to the Website not to the test local server which is (http://localhost:xxxx/test.aspx) So how I can test Facebook locally (i.e How I can change the callback url) ?

11
The answer is here: forum.developers.facebook.com/viewtopic.php?pid=116136 you must edit 'C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts' file to make your domain come to your localHost - Haytham
This system appears to be rather poorly implemented on Facebook's part. It does not seem to have occurred to them that anyone would want to test the feature other than on a live server. The two solutions given here -- editing the local hosts file to spoof the production server and redirect it to localhost, and temporarily changing the live production URL on Facebook to localhost, are both remarkably bad design on Facebook's part. Facebook needs to add some sort of testing capacity to their system. - Paul Legato
Well a work around is to have 3 apps --> live, QA and Dev. So if your main app is apps.facebook.com/ohnice/ QA and dev can be is apps.facebook.com/ohnice_qa_sd/ is apps.facebook.com/ohnice_dev_fg/ yes something random so you do not have unwanted visitors when your house is not tidy. - tgkprog
@PaulLegato it is done now (after years...). See my solution or one of the solutions using the test feature. - Erdal G.

11 Answers

237
votes

It's simple enough when you find out.

Open /etc/hosts (unix) or C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.

If your domain is foo.com, then add this line:

127.0.0.1    local.foo.com

When you are testing, open local.foo.com in your browser and it should work.

102
votes

Edit your app at www.facebook.com/developers/ and set the "Site URL" to "http://localhost/myapppath".

When done - change it back.

80
votes

Facebook has added test versions feature.

First, add a test version of your application: Create Test App

Create Test App

Then, change the Site URL to "http://localhost" under Website, and press Save Changes

enter image description here

That's all, but be careful: App ID and App Secret keys are different for the application and its test versions!

78
votes

I suggest creating a test app (for dev environment only) on https://developers.facebook.com/apps and set: Website with Facebook Login property to your localhost:[port] settings.
this option will work fine with no need to change hosts.
remember to change the appId back to your production app once you go live.

Edit - in the latest fb version you'll find it under the settings tab. enter image description here

40
votes

You don't have to do anything difficult!

Facebook → Settings → Basic:
write "localhost" in the "App Domains" field then click on "+Add Platform" choose "Web Site".

After that, in the "Site Url" field write your localhost url
(e.g.: http://localhost:1337/something).

This will allow you to test your facebook plugins locally.

5
votes

Facebook seemingly randomly disables the ability to set localhost as a domain on your facebook app. I found the easiest work around was to tunnel my localhost to the web. This can be done for free using http://progrium.com/localtunnel/ or with a custom url (easier since you don't have to change url everytime in facebook) https://showoff.io

3
votes

I couldn't use the other solutions... What worked for me was installing LocalTunnel.net (https://github.com/danielrmz/localtunnel-net-client), and then using the resulting url on Facebook.

1
votes

Looks like FB just changed the app dev page again and added a feature called "Server IP Whitelist".

  1. Go to your app and Select Settings -> Advanced Tab
  2. Get your public IP (google will tell you if you google "Whats My IP")
  3. Add your public IP to the Server IP Whitelist and click Save Changes at the bottom
1
votes

go to canvas page.. view it in browser.. copy the address bar text. now go to your facebook app go to edit settings

in website, in site url paste that address

in facebook integration , again paste the that address in canvas url

and also the same code wherever you require canvas url or redirect url..

hope it will help..

1
votes

LAST TESTED 2021/06/07

Just a few notes to complement the excellent answer of @Erdal_G with my successful experience:

  • Apparently, HTTPS is needed even in the local environment (I used the library https-localhost).

  • [I don't know if this is mandatory] create a test app from the main app (https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/build-and-test/test-apps/)

  • Set the redirect OAuth URI to https://localhost:<MY_PORT>/auth/ and update also all other URIs in .../instagram-basic-display/basic-display/ settings accordingly.

  • Finally, don't forget to use the client-id (aka app-id) and app-secret of the test app in the requests, which are different than the parent app

-6
votes

Create 2 apps and

In /initializers/env_variables.rb

if Rails.env == 'development'
    ENV['FB_APP_ID'] = "HERE"
    ENV["FB_SECRET"] = "HERE"
else
    ENV['FB_APP_ID'] = "HERE"
    ENV["FB_SECRET"] = "HERE"
end