# What the NotchStar Ports list shows

> Ports lists every TCP port something is listening on, with the project folder, the command, local or network, and Open, Show and Stop buttons.

Canonical: https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-ports-list-columns/
Last updated: 2026-11-04

Published 2026-11-04.

To see which program is listening on a port, open the Disk tab, pick **Monitor** and then **Ports**. NotchStar lists every TCP port in the listening state, with the process behind it and the project folder it was started from. It reads this from the Mac's own `lsof` and `ps` tools.

## What each row shows

| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `:3000` | The port number |
| Bold name | The project folder, or the process name if no folder is known |
| Grey line | The command, shortened, such as `next dev -p 3000` |
| Path | The working directory of the process, with your home folder shown as `~`. If it is unknown, the process ID is shown |
| local or network | local means reachable only from this Mac. network (in orange) means other devices can reach it |
| Icons and Stop | Open in browser, show project in Finder, and a Stop button |

## How the project is found

NotchStar reads the working directory of the process. It then walks up to six folders, looking for a marker such as `.git`, `package.json`, `Package.swift`, `Cargo.toml`, `pyproject.toml`, `go.mod`, `Gemfile`, `pom.xml`, `build.gradle` or `docker-compose.yml`, and stops at your home folder. The folder with the marker names the project. With none found, the working directory's own name is used.

## Local or network

An address of `127.0.0.1` or `::1` counts as local. Anything else, such as `*` for every interface, counts as network. That is worth a look: a dev server that says network can be reached by other devices on the same WiFi.

## Header and filter

The header counts the ports, for example 7 listening, 5 local. Type in the filter box to narrow by port, process, project, command or folder.

The list refreshes about every 9 seconds while Ports is open. For the buttons, read [Open](https://www.notchstar.com/help/open-localhost-port-notchstar/) and [Stop](https://www.notchstar.com/help/stop-process-on-port-notchstar/). The whole tab is on the [Disk feature page](https://www.notchstar.com/features/disk/).

## Quick answers.

### Does it list UDP ports?

No. It lists TCP ports in the listening state only.

### Can I filter the list?

Yes. The filter box matches the port, process name, project, command or folder.

## Keep reading.

- [Disk space, duplicates, apps and cleanup](https://www.notchstar.com/features/disk/): See free space, find big folders, duplicates and app leftovers, compress media and clean caches from your Mac notch. Everything goes to the Trash.
- [How to open a localhost port from NotchStar](https://www.notchstar.com/help/open-localhost-port-notchstar/): The arrow icon on a Ports row opens http://localhost and that port number in your default browser. It always uses http, not https.
- [How to stop a process on a port with NotchStar](https://www.notchstar.com/help/stop-process-on-port-notchstar/): Press Stop on a Ports row, then press it again to confirm. NotchStar sends SIGTERM, a polite quit request, and never forces a process.
- [How often NotchStar updates system stats](https://www.notchstar.com/help/how-often-notchstar-updates-system-stats/): The System tab samples once a second, and only while it is on screen. The Monitor section in Disk samples every 3 seconds, ports about every 9.

## More in Ports.

- [How to open a localhost port from NotchStar](https://www.notchstar.com/help/open-localhost-port-notchstar/): The arrow icon on a Ports row opens http://localhost and that port number in your default browser. It always uses http, not https.
- [How to show a port's project folder in Finder with NotchStar](https://www.notchstar.com/help/show-port-project-in-finder-notchstar/): The folder icon on a Ports row reveals the process's working directory in Finder. It is disabled when NotchStar cannot read that folder.
- [How to stop a process on a port with NotchStar](https://www.notchstar.com/help/stop-process-on-port-notchstar/): Press Stop on a Ports row, then press it again to confirm. NotchStar sends SIGTERM, a polite quit request, and never forces a process.
- [What NotchStar cannot stop and why](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-cannot-stop-process/): Stop only asks your own processes to quit. It cannot stop system services, other users' processes or programs that ignore SIGTERM, and never forces.