Simple HTTP Server is a static file server written in Rust that runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
The tool solves the problem of quickly serving static files and directories over HTTP without complex configuration. It builds on the axum and tokio libraries to provide a lightweight server that handles common web serving scenarios. The implementation includes directory listing with breadcrumb navigation, optional index.html rendering, file upload with CSRF protection, HTTP Basic Auth, cache control headers, gzip and deflate compression, CORS headers, and SPA fallback routing. HTTPS support via PKCS#12 certificates is available as an optional feature that keeps the default binary smaller when disabled.
Developers should choose this tool when they need a quick, self-contained HTTP server for development, testing, or simple static hosting without the overhead of larger web servers. It suits projects that need to serve directories with optional upload capability, single-page applications that require fallback routing, or scenarios where basic authentication is sufficient. The tool is particularly useful for local development and small deployments where a minimal binary size matters.
The project shows consistent maintenance with regular commits addressing bug fixes and feature improvements. Development activity demonstrates responsiveness to user issues and pull requests. The codebase maintains clean separation between core functionality and optional features, as evidenced by the conditional compilation of TLS support. The maintainer actively documents usage patterns through examples covering common scenarios like SPA serving, upload configuration, and HTTPS setup.
