What command is used for local port forwarding in SSH?

The command used for local port forwarding in SSH is specified with the option that begins with the letter L. Local port forwarding allows you to forward a local port on your machine to a specific port on a remote machine, effectively creating a secure tunnel for your data. This is particularly useful for accessing services on a remote server that are not directly accessible due to firewalls or restrictions.

When you use the command with the -L option, you specify the local port, the destination address, and the remote port. The syntax looks like this: ssh -L local_port:remote_address:remote_port username@remote_host. This command sets up a listener on the specified local port, which, when accessed, forwards traffic through the SSH connection to the defined remote address and port.

The other options either pertain to different functions within SSH or are not applicable to port forwarding. Thus, using the -L option effectively facilitates local port forwarding, ensuring secure communication for local applications that need access to remote services.