title: Preview the docs site from a Zed remote session description: Forward the Astro docs dev server (port 4321) over SSH so you can open it in your local browser while editing this repo through Zed remote development. #

By the end of this tutorial you will open the docs site in your local browser while its dev server runs on the remote host — with the repo edited through Zed remote development over SSH.

The docs dev server binds to 127.0.0.1:4321 on the remote host, so localhost:4321 on your laptop reaches nothing until SSH forwards the port. Zed does this for you once you add a port_forwards entry to your local Zed settings.

You need about five minutes and a working Zed remote connection to the rssbase host.

Before you start #

Make sure you already connect to the remote from Zed using the SSH host alias rssbase (defined in your ~/.ssh/config). The forward is keyed on that exact host name.

Step 1 — Add the port forward #

Open your local Zed settings (~/.config/zed/settings.json on Linux, command palette → zed: open settings) and add an ssh_connections entry:

"ssh_connections": [
  {
    "host": "rssbase",
    "port_forwards": [
      { "local_port": 4321, "remote_port": 4321 }
    ]
  }
]

Zed turns this into an ssh -L 4321:localhost:4321 tunnel. remote_host is omitted, so it defaults to localhost on the remote — which matches where Astro listens.

Step 2 — Restart Zed #

Port forwards are read at connection time and do not hot reload. Quit Zed completely and reopen it, then reopen the rssbase remote project.

Step 3 — Start the docs server on the remote #

In the remote project's terminal, run:

docs

This runs pnpm dev for the Starlight site and serves it on http://127.0.0.1:4321 on the remote host.

Step 4 — Open it locally #

On your laptop, visit:

http://localhost:4321

You should see the RSSBase Docs site. Your browser hits local port 4321, SSH forwards it to the remote, and Astro answers.

What you did #

• Added a port_forwards entry to your local Zed settings for the rssbase host.
• Restarted Zed so the SSH tunnel came up.
• Started the docs dev server on the remote.
• Loaded the live site in your local browser.

Where to go next #

• Edits under docs/ hot reload in the same browser tab.
• If remote file saves or extension uploads start failing, a known Zed bug passes the -L flag to scp too (zed#36454); remove the port_forwards entry when you are not previewing the site.