CivetWeb is an embedded C/C++ web server that can be integrated into applications as a library or deployed as a standalone executable.
The project addresses the need to add HTTP server functionality to C and C++ applications without external dependencies or complex setup. It works by providing a compact, embeddable library that handles HTTP requests and responses, with optional support for CGI, SSL encryption, and Lua scripting. Developers can link it directly into their applications, while end users can run it as a single executable on Windows or Linux without installation.
CivetWeb suits projects where a lightweight, self-contained web server is needed—embedded systems, desktop applications requiring a web interface, or simple standalone HTTP services. It is particularly valuable when you want to avoid the overhead of running a separate server process or managing complex dependencies. The tool's MIT license permits unrestricted use and modification.
The project maintains active quality assurance through continuous integration testing, code coverage analysis with multiple tools, static analysis via Coverity, and semantic code analysis with CodeQL. Development activity is tracked through GitHub issues, which serve as the primary channel for bug reports and feature requests, replacing earlier community forums.
