simpleserver

A simple webserver for serving static content

usage

The server can serve either content which is compiled into the jar file, or it can serve content which comes from an existing directory on the machine.

usually the server just has to be started via commandline

java -jar simpleserver.jar

then it will serve the content by default on port 8080. If you want to change the port, then you can do this via the vm parameter port like this:

java -Dport=9999 -jar simpleserver.jar

This will serve the content from within the jar file on port 9999.

serving content from within the jar

The package at.htlle.simpleserver.staticfiles in the resources section of the maven project holds the files that should be served statically. Whatever is in this directory will be served by default from the server.

serving content from a directory

If the data should not be compiled into the jar the it is possible to point the server towards a directory. This is also done via a vm parameter wwwroot like this:

java -Dwwwroot=/tmp/www -jar simpleserver.jar

With the commandline from above the server will look for files within the /tmp/www directory (instead of serving content from within the jar)

If you also want to have a directory listing from within your wwwroot then you can allow this via setting the parameter allowDirectoryListing to true.

java -Dwwwroot=/tmp/www -DallowDirectoryListing=true -jar simpleserver.jar

compiling

Compilation is done via maven:

mvn package

testing

If the programm works correctly on your machine could be tested with a webbrower. Start the simple server in a shell open a browser and type

127.0.0.1:myport/myfile.txt

For example starting with no port and no file resource specified

127.0.0.1:8080/myfile.txt

should deliver

This is a simple text file

in your browerwindow.