A lightweight development web server for macOS/iOS/iPad OS #Apple #Development @Iconfactory
The Mac and Web have a long history together. From the very beginning, Mac OS X included the ability to run an Apache web server by clicking a Start button. About a decade ago, things started to change. Since then it’s gotten harder and harder to start a simple web server for testing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Craig Hockenberry decided to write their own web server app. The Swifter project for is used handling the socket connections and file transfers. While not as capable as a production quality server like Vapor, it was perfect for the simple and lightweight solution needed.
The focus for this new app was to not be a production web server. These features are great for development and not something you’d want on a real server:
No caching — Every request gets a new response, no cache busters needed
Easy to configure — Pick a folder and go, recent folders let you switch sites instantly
Directory listings — A handy list of files whenever you hit a URL that doesn’t exist
Bonjour support — Automatic DNS for easy access using devices on your local network
REST friendly — Set default responses as JSON or XML for easy mocking of APIs
No dependencies — Completely standalone, no need for other tools like Python or Ruby
Simplified logging — Track requests & responses in Terminal with an easy-to-read format
Built-in security — Runs completely in a sandbox, no access to data unless you allow it
Powerful and lightweight — A small memory footprint with minimal CPU overhead
No rocket science — Perfect for people who are less technically inclined
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