https://github.com/asut00/webserv
Custom HTTP server implemented in C++98, designed to handle client requests efficiently, parse HTTP messages, and serve static or dynamic content.
https://github.com/asut00/webserv
cpp http http-server server
Last synced: 5 months ago
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Custom HTTP server implemented in C++98, designed to handle client requests efficiently, parse HTTP messages, and serve static or dynamic content.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/asut00/webserv
- Owner: asut00
- Created: 2024-11-01T09:30:40.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-01-27T10:30:03.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-01-27T11:42:01.159Z (about 1 year ago)
- Topics: cpp, http, http-server, server
- Language: C++
- Homepage:
- Size: 4.06 MB
- Stars: 1
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README
# Webserv π
**Webserv** is a lightweight HTTP server built in C++. The challenge of this project was to implement core HTTP functionalities and create a fully functional web server, adhering to the HTTP/1.1 specification.
## π Table of Contents
- [Introduction](#introduction)
- [Features](#features)
- [Installation](#installation)
- [Usage](#usage)
- [Configuration](#configuration)
- [Testing](#testing)
- [Technical Details](#technical-details)
- [Author](#author)
---
## Introduction
This project was a deep dive into the inner workings of how data is shared and communicated over the internet we rely on every day. We developed a fully functional web server that handles HTTP requests, serves static files, executes CGI scripts, and efficiently manages multiple client connections simultaneously. Through this project, I gained valuable insights into the foundational principles of web servers and network communication.
This project emphasizes:
- **Network programming**.
- **Concurrency management**.
- **Protocol compliance**.
### Goals
1. Understand and implement the HTTP/1.1 protocol.
2. Handle multiple client connections using non-blocking I/O.
3. Manage server configurations dynamically through a configuration file.
---
## Features
- π₯οΈ **Static File Serving**: Serve HTML, CSS, JS, or any static content.
- 𧩠**CGI Support**: Run dynamic scripts (e.g., PHP, Python).
- π **Custom Configuration**: Define routes, error pages, and limits.
- π‘ **Persistent Connections**: Handle `keep-alive` connections.
- π **HTTP Methods**: Support for `GET`, `POST`, and `DELETE`.
- π₯ **Error Handling**: Customizable error pages for HTTP status codes.
---
## Installation
1. **Clone the repository**:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/asut00/webserv.git
cd webserv
```
2. **Compile the server**:
```bash
make
```
This will create the `webserv` executable.
---
## Usage
To start the server, provide a configuration file as an argument:
```bash
./webserv ./config_file/default.conf
```
### Logs:
The server logs incoming requests, responses, and errors to the console.
---
## Configuration
The server is configured through `.conf` files written in a custom format. Below is an example configuration:
```plaintext
server {
listen 8080;
server_name localhost;
root /var/www/html;
index index.html;
error_page 404 /errors/404.html;
location /cgi-bin {
cgi_pass /usr/bin/python3;
}
client_max_body_size 10M;
}
```
### Key Directives:
- **`listen`**: Port number for the server to bind to.
- **`server_name`**: Hostname for virtual hosting.
- **`root`**: Root directory for serving files.
- **`index`**: Default file to serve in a directory.
- **`error_page`**: Custom error pages for specific HTTP status codes.
- **`cgi_pass`**: Path to the CGI interpreter for dynamic scripts.
- **`client_max_body_size`**: Maximum size for incoming requests.
---
## Testing
### Basic Tests:
1. Use `curl` to send HTTP requests:
```bash
curl -X GET http://localhost:8081
curl -X POST -d "data=example" http://localhost:8081
```
2. Test the server with its static website:
- If you use the `./config_file/default.conf` config file, the `http://localhost:8081` URL will redirect you to a static website.
- This website allows any user to test the server's different features.
3. Test error handling:
- Request a non-existent file to trigger a `404` error.
### Load Testing:
Use tools like [siege](https://github.com/JoeDog/siege), [ApacheBench](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/programs/ab.html) or [wrk](https://github.com/wg/wrk) to stress test the server:
```bash
siege -b http://localhost:8081
```
```bash
ab -n 1000 -c 10 http://localhost:8081/
```
---
## Technical Details
### Core Components:
1. **Socket Programming**:
- Utilizes `select()` for handling multiple clients.
- Manages incoming and outgoing connections efficiently.
2. **Request Parsing**:
- Parses HTTP headers, methods, and body.
- Supports chunked encoding and multipart form data.
3. **Response Generation**:
- Generates HTTP responses with appropriate headers and content.
- Includes support for `Content-Length` and `Content-Type`.
4. **Concurrency**:
- Handles multiple clients simultaneously.
- Ensures data integrity and non-blocking operations.
5. **CGI Integration**:
- Executes scripts in isolated processes.
- Sends the request body and environment variables to the script.
---
## Team
- [@atwazar](https://github.com/atwazar)
- [@asut00](https://github.com/asut00)
---