Custom HTTP Server

A lightweight, Python-based Custom HTTP Server that runs as a Linux systemd service or a macOS launchd agent. Ideal for serving static files, logs, test results, or internal documentation. This is a minimal yet powerful custom HTTP server written in pure Python. It includes MIME-type awareness and seamless integration with systemd (Linux) and launchd (macOS) for automatic startup on boot.

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✅ Features

• Pure Python (no external dependencies)
• Serves any local directory
• MIME-type aware (e.g., .log, .tap, .xml, .html, .pdf, .md, etc.)
• Works as:
  • A systemd service on Linux
  • A launchd agent on macOS
• Runs on startup
• Configurable via a simple config or plist

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Directory Structure

custom-http-server/
├── custom-http-server/
│   ├── custom-http-server.service       # systemd unit file (Linux)
│   ├── custom_http_server.py            # Main HTTP server script
│   ├── default-config.conf              # Default configuration (path/port)
│   ├── install.sh                       # Installer script (Linux & macOS)
│   ├── macos-launchd-setup.sh           # macOS launchd agent setup
│   └── uninstall.sh                     # Uninstaller script
├── LICENSE                              # MIT License
└── README.md                            # Project documentation

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🐧 Linux Installation (Systemd Service)

git clone https://github.com/kumarmuthu/custom-http-server.git
cd custom-http-server/custom-http-server
chmod +x install.sh uninstall.sh
sudo ./install.sh

🛡️ Note: sudo is required to install files in system paths like /opt or /usr/local.

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🔧 Configure Port and Directory

Edit the config file:

sudo vi /etc/custom-http-server.conf

Example:

# Path to serve (change this to your target directory)
SERVE_PATH=/root
SERVE_PORT=80

• Port 80 requires root privileges (already handled by systemd).
• You can use any non-privileged port like 8080, 8000, etc., without root.

Restart to apply changes:

sudo systemctl restart custom-http-server

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✅ Verify

sudo systemctl status custom-http-server
sudo lsof -i :80   # Or your configured port

Check service status to confirm it's running properly:

sudo systemctl status custom-http-server

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📜 Logs

sudo journalctl -u custom-http-server -f

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🔓 Allow Port in Firewall

On Rocky Linux:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=80/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

On Ubuntu:

sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw reload

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❌ Uninstall (Linux)

cd custom-http-server/custom-http-server
sudo ./uninstall.sh

🛡️ Note: sudo is required to remove system files and services.

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🍏 macOS Installation (launchd Agent)

git clone https://github.com/kumarmuthu/custom-http-server.git
cd custom-http-server/custom-http-server
chmod +x install.sh uninstall.sh macos-launchd-setup.sh

sudo ./install.sh -path /Users/<username> -port 8080

🛡️ Note: sudo is required to install files in system paths like /opt or /usr/local.

• --path → Directory to serve
• --port → HTTP port to use (e.g., 8080)

The script installs a launchd service and autostarts it.

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✅ Verify & Logs (macOS)

Check if service is running:

launchctl list | grep custom_httpserver

Validate plist syntax (optional):

plutil ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.custom.httpserver.plist

Example:

muthukumar@muthukumar custom-http-server % plutil /Users/muthukumar/Library/LaunchAgents/com.custom_http_server.plist
/Users/muthukumar/Library/LaunchAgents/com.custom_http_server.plist: OK
muthukumar@muthukumar custom-http-server % 

Watch logs in real time:

watch "cat /tmp/custom_httpserver.log"

Or using tail

tail -f /tmp/custom_httpserver.log

Example .log log:

muthukumar@muthukumar custom-http-server % cat /tmp/custom_httpserver.log      
#########Script Start#########
Resolved serve path:/root /root
Observed exception is: Invalid directory: /root
##########Script End##########
#########Script Start#########
Resolved serve path:/U /U
Observed exception is: Invalid directory: /U
##########Script End##########
#########Script Start#########
Resolved serve path:/Users /Users
Observed exception is: [Errno 48] Address already in use
##########Script End##########
#########Script Start#########
Resolved serve path:/Users/muthukumar /Users/muthukumar
Observed exception is: [Errno 48] Address already in use
##########Script End##########
muthukumar@muthukumar custom-http-server %

Or error logs:

watch "cat /tmp/custom_httpserver.err"

Or using tail

tail -f /tmp/custom_httpserver.err

Example .err log:

muthukumar@muthukumar custom-http-server % cat /tmp/custom_httpserver.err         
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:15:19] "GET /Documents/ HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:15:20] "GET /Documents/ HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:15:21] "GET /Documents/Screenshot%202024-12-06%20at%202.21.59%E2%80%AFPM.png HTTP/1.1" 200 -
127.0.0.1 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:23:27] "GET / HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:23:31] "GET /Documents/ HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:23:32] "GET /Documents/AMD/ HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:23:35] "GET /Documents/AMD/Ubuntu%20VM%20OS%20install.txt HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:29:02] "GET /Documents/AMD/Ubuntu%20VM%20OS%20install.txt HTTP/1.1" 304 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:29:05] "GET /Documents/AMD/Nutanix_Int_session.txt HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:36:41] "GET /Documents/AMD/Notes5.1.txt HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:42:41] "GET /Documents/ HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:42:43] "GET /Documents/Nutanix/ HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:42:45] "GET /Documents/Nutanix/Notes5.txt HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 02:45:10] "GET /Documents/Nutanix/Install_java.txt HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 03:12:54] "GET / HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 03:12:54] code 404, message File not found
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 03:12:54] "GET /favicon.ico HTTP/1.1" 404 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 03:42:44] "GET / HTTP/1.1" 200 -
10.138.237.56 - - [21/Jun/2025 03:42:47] "GET /Documents/ HTTP/1.1" 200 -
muthukumar@muthukumar custom-http-server %

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❌ Uninstall (macOS)

✅ Automated (recommended):

cd custom-http-server/custom-http-server
sudo ./uninstall.sh

🛡️ Note: sudo is required to remove system files and services.

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🛠️ Manual (if needed):

launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.custom_http_server.plist
rm -f ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.custom_http_server.plist
launchctl list | grep custom_httpserver

✅ The final command launchctl list | grep custom_httpserver should return nothing.

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✅ Final Notes

• Works on Linux (systemd) and macOS (launchd)
• Built with pure Python 3
• No external dependencies
• Easily configurable

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. You are free to use, modify, and distribute it with attribution.

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Author

Developed and maintained by [Muthukumar S] GitHub: https://github.com/kumarmuthu/

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