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static-web-server

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A lightweight, high-performance static file server written in Rust. Serves static web files with HTTP/1 & HTTP/2, compression, security headers, and many modern features. Single 4MB binary, no dependencies.

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Download Download Version

v2.42.0 · 3.5 MB

A single-binary, dependency-free static file server with HTTP/2, compression, and security features.

Core Features

  • Single 4MB fully static binary, no runtime dependencies
  • Blazing fast async performance via Rust, Hyper, and Tokio
  • HTTP/1 & HTTP/2 with TLS support
  • Optional Gzip, Deflate, Brotli, or Zstd compression
  • Directory listing with sorting and JSON output

What It Can't Do

  • •Designed for static files only – not a replacement for dynamic backends,Logging is minimal; advanced log shipping not built-in,TLS requires manual certificate setup via CLI flags,Windows Service mode requires administrator privileges

Use Cases

  • Host static websites, blogs, or documentation sites
  • Serve Single-Page Applications with 404 fallback
  • Deliver static assets in microservice architectures
  • Minimal Docker image for static file serving in Kubernetes
  • Local development server for API docs or offline guides

Detailed Introduction

Static Web Server (SWS) is a cross-platform, production-ready web server designed specifically for serving static files and assets. Built with Rust on top of Hyper and Tokio, it delivers blazing-fast performance with minimal CPU and memory overhead. The server is a single 4MB fully static binary (Musl-based) with no runtime dependencies, making it easy to deploy on any Linux distro or Docker container. It supports HTTP/2 with TLS, Gzip/Brotli/Zstd compression, Cache-Control, CORS, directory listing, virtual hosting, URL rewriting, basic auth, health checks, Prometheus metrics, and more. Configuration is flexible via CLI, environment variables, or TOML file. SWS is ideal for serving static websites, SPAs, API documentation, or as a lightweight development server.

Troubleshooting & FAQ (2)

Troubleshooting
Why does Static Web Server ignore my Cache-Control header for index.html files in subdirectories?

This is a known regression in version 2.40.1 where advanced header rules using glob patterns like '**/*.html' do not apply to directory index files (e.g., '/about/index.html' requested as '/about'). The bug is fixed in PR #613. Use the latest development Docker image (e.g., 'joseluisq/static-web-server:devel') or upgrade to a version that includes the fix once released.

GitHub Issue #612
Troubleshooting
How to fix 'cp: unrecognized option: x' error when running the static-web-server installer on Alpine/BusyBox?

This error occurs because BusyBox's cp does not support the -x flag. It has been fixed in the installer script (PRs #610 and #611). Use the latest installer from https://get.static-web-server.net, which replaces cp with the install command and removes the sudo requirement. For Docker, rebuild the image without caching or pull the updated script. If you cannot upgrade immediately, manually copy the binary to the target path without the unsupported flag.

GitHub Issue #604

Tags

static-serverweb-serverrusthttp2compressiondockercross-platform

Getting Started

1

Download installer

Click the button above to download the installer for your system

Windows· 3.5 MBLinux· 3.5 MB
2

Install the software

Double-click the downloaded installer and follow the prompts

3

Download the binary for your platform from GitHub Releases (or pull Docker image joseluisq/static-web-server)

4

Unzip and run: `./static-web-server --port 8080 --root ./my-site`

5

Open http://localhost:8080 in browser

Install Guide
  1. Download the binary for your platform from GitHub Releases (or pull Docker image joseluisq/static-web-server)
  2. Unzip and run: `./static-web-server --port 8080 --root ./my-site`
  3. Open http://localhost:8080 in browser
File Integrity

SHA-256 checksum verified

Checksum extracted from GitHub official Release page

SHA256 Checksum

ed32ff29cdcafb37b5cc4efa89147918bc837fbe308a2a6c438c8b9047b71956

This checksum is extracted from the GitHub Release page. Verify file integrity after download.

All SHA-256 checksums on this platform are extracted from the project's official GitHub Release page, without any modification. You can independently verify them on the GitHub Releases page.

Open Source Transparency

View GitHub Source
Environment Guide

Uninstall Info

Delete the binary or Docker image; no leftovers.

No Extra Dependencies

Ready to use after download. No additional runtime required.

Project Info
LicenseApache-2.0 | MIT (dual)
Last Updated2026-06-26 09:40:19
GitHub RepositoryOfficial Website

Having issues? Check the FAQ below

2 FAQs

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