Setting up a local server is a fundamental task for web development, allowing you to test your applications and serve files directly from your machine. This page provides quick and easy commands to create a basic HTTP server using common programming languages.

Python Local Server

Python offers a straightforward way to start a local HTTP server. This is particularly useful for serving static files, testing frontend projects, or sharing files on a local network.

# Run a basic http server (Python 2.x) on port 8000
python -m SimpleHTTPServer 8000

# Run a basic Python 3 http server on the default port 8000
python3 -m http.server

Ruby Local Server

If you have Ruby installed, you can leverage its built-in WEBrick web server to quickly set up a local server.

# Run a basic Ruby WEBrick http server on port 80
ruby -rwebrick -e "WEBrick::HTTPServer.new(:Port => 80, :DocumentRoot => Dir.pwd).start"

PHP Local Server

PHP's built-in web server is an excellent tool for local development, especially for PHP-based projects.

# Run a basic PHP http server on all interfaces on port 80
php -S 0.0.0.0:80

Why Use a Local Server?

Local servers are essential for several reasons:

• Development Testing: Simulate a production environment for frontend and backend development.
• Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS): Avoid CORS issues when making requests from your local development environment.
• File Serving: Quickly share files within your local network.
• Performance Testing: Gauge how your application performs under server conditions.

Further Resources

• Python http.server Module Documentation
• Ruby WEBrick Documentation
• PHP Built-in Web Server