How to Find the IP Address of Your Localhost: Is It Always 127.0.0.1?

Introduction: The Home Address

You probably know that 127.0.0.1 is the standard 'Localhost' IP address. But did you know your computer has other 'local' identities as well? When you're building apps or setting up a home server, knowing exactly which Local IP to use is the difference between your software working or failing.

In this guide, we'll show you how to find your true localhost and your local network address in seconds.

The Standard: 127.0.0.1

Almost every computer on Earth uses 127.0.0.1 as its primary loopback address. You can verify this by opening a terminal and typing ping localhost. If your computer is working correctly, you'll see replies from 127.0.0.1.

The 'Other' Localhost: IPv6

As the internet moves to the modern IPv6 standard, the address for localhost has changed. In IPv6, localhost is represented as ::1. Don't be surprised if you see this number when you're looking at your server logs!

Local IP vs. Localhost

This is where most people get confused. Localhost (127.0.0.1) is for your computer to talk to *itself*. Your Local IP (usually something like 192.168.1.5) is for *other* computers in your house to talk to you. You can find this address by typing ipconfig on Windows or ip addr on Mac/Linux.

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between your 'private' localhost and your 'public-on-the-network' local IP is vital for any developer or IT enthusiast. Verify your local addresses here.