Darkhttpd: Difference between revisions

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:darkhttpd}}
darkhttpd is a simple, fast HTTP 1.1 web server for static content.  It does not support PHP or CGI etc but is designed to serve static content, which it does very well.  darkhttpd would be an excellent alternative to [[Lighttpd]] for [[How to setup a Alpine Linux mirror|running an Alpine mirror]]


Darkhttpd is a simple, fast HTTP 1.1 web server for static content.  It does not support PHP or CGI etc but is designed to serve static content, which it does very well.  Darkhttpd would be an excellent alternative to [[Lighttpd]] for [[How to setup a Alpine Linux mirror|running an Alpine mirror]]
For a full list of features see the [https://unix4lyfe.org/darkhttpd/ darkhttpd homepage]
   
For a full list of features see the [http://unix4lyfe.org/darkhttpd/ darkhttpd homepage]


= Install =
= Install =


{{Cmd|apk add darkhttpd}}
{{Cmd|# apk add darkhttpd}}


= Configure =
= Configure =


Default location of files to serve: {{Path|/var/www/localhost/hdocs}}
Default location of files to serve: {{Path|/var/www/localhost/htdocs}}


Default log path: {{Path|/var/log/darkhttpd/access.log}}
Default log path: {{Path|/var/log/darkhttpd/access.log}}
Line 17: Line 16:
There's no configuration file for {{Pkg|darkhttpd}}, everything is controlled from the command line or in our case the OpenRC init file, which is stored in {{Path|/etc/init.d/darkhttpd}} and by default looks like this:
There's no configuration file for {{Pkg|darkhttpd}}, everything is controlled from the command line or in our case the OpenRC init file, which is stored in {{Path|/etc/init.d/darkhttpd}} and by default looks like this:


<pre>
{{cat|/etc/init.d/darkhttpd|<nowiki>#!/sbin/runscript
#! /sbin/runscript


description="darkhttpd web server"
description="darkhttpd web server"
Line 26: Line 24:
pidfile=""
pidfile=""
stopsig="SIGTERM"
stopsig="SIGTERM"
</pre>
</nowiki>}}


So by default we will serve pages from {{Path|/var/www/localhost/hdocs}} and darkhttpd will run as a background daemon, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroot chrooted] to {{Path|/var/www/localhost/hdocs}} with a user of <code>darkhttpd</code> and group of <code>www-data</code>.
So by default we will serve pages from {{Path|/var/www/localhost/htdocs}} and darkhttpd will run as a background daemon, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroot chrooted] to {{Path|/var/www/localhost/htdocs}} with a user of <code>darkhttpd</code> and group of <code>www-data</code>.
Logs will go to {{Path|/var/log/darkhttpd/access.log}}.
Logs will go to {{Path|/var/log/darkhttpd/access.log}}.
The default values have been chosen to provide sane, secure settings.  
The default values have been chosen to provide sane, secure settings.  
Line 34: Line 32:
Change any of these values as you see fit, but it's a good idea to backup the file before making changes.
Change any of these values as you see fit, but it's a good idea to backup the file before making changes.


For a full list of available options, run: {{Cmd|darkhttpd}}
For a full list of available options, run: {{Cmd|$ darkhttpd}}


and amend the <code>command_args</code> line as you see fit.
and amend the <code>command_args</code> line as you see fit.
For example, you might wish to serve files from {{Path|/var/files}} instead, so you can edit the {{Path|/etc/init.d/darkhttpd}} file with an editor of your choice (vi, nano, vim or whatever) and make it like so:
 
{{cat|/etc/init.d/darkhttpd|<nowiki>#!/sbin/runscript
 
description="darkhttpd web server"
command="/usr/bin/darkhttpd"
command_args="/var/files --chroot --daemon --uid darkhttpd --gid www-data --log /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log"
procname="darkhttpd"
pidfile=""
stopsig="SIGTERM"
</nowiki>}}


= Use =
= Use =


Filesharing is made easy; simply add your files under {{Path|/var/www/localhost/hdocs}}  
Filesharing is made easy; simply add your files under the server root, by default {{Path|/var/www/localhost/htdocs}}


== Test ==
== Test ==


Create a test page under {{Path|/var/www/localhost/hdocs}}
Create a test page under the server root, by default {{Path|/var/www/localhost/htdocs}}


{{Cmd|echo "this is a test page" > /var/www/localhost/htdocs/index.html}}
{{Cmd|# echo "this is a test page" > /var/www/localhost/htdocs/index.html}}


{{Note| You don't have to create a test page; in a working environment darkhttpd will generate a directory listing if no index page is found.}}
{{Note| You don't have to create a test page; in a working environment darkhttpd will generate a directory listing if no index page is found.}}


Start the daemon: {{Cmd|rc-service darkhttpd start}}
Start the daemon: {{Cmd|# rc-service darkhttpd start}}


Output should be something like this:
Output should be something like this:
Line 63: Line 72:
Now point a browser to your darkhttpd server and you should get the index page, or a directory listing if you didn't create an index page.
Now point a browser to your darkhttpd server and you should get the index page, or a directory listing if you didn't create an index page.


Check the logfile: {{Cmd|tail /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log}}
Check the logfile: {{Cmd|$ tail /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log}}


== Controlling darkhttpd status ==
== Controlling darkhttpd status ==


Stop, start and restart the daemon in the usual fashion:
Stop, start and restart the daemon in the usual fashion:
{{Cmd|rc-service darkhttpd start}}
{{Cmd|# rc-service darkhttpd start}}


{{Cmd|rc-service darkhttpd stop}}
{{Cmd|# rc-service darkhttpd stop}}


{{Cmd|rc-service darkhttpd restart}}
{{Cmd|# rc-service darkhttpd restart}}


== Auto-start darkhttpd at boot ==
== Auto-start darkhttpd at boot ==


To add the daemon to the default runlevel so it auto-starts at boot, do: {{Cmd|rc-update add darkhttpd}}
To add the daemon to the default runlevel so it auto-starts at boot, do: {{Cmd|# rc-update add darkhttpd}}


= man darkhttpd =
= Troubleshooting =
 
* When restarting the daemon you may see an error message:
<pre>
<pre>
v-alpine-server:~# darkhttpd
Stopping darkhttpd ...
darkhttpd/1.9, copyright (c) 2003-2013 Emil Mikulic.
/lib/rc/sh/runscript.sh: line 202: can't create /sys/fs/cgroup/openrc/darkhttpd/tasks: nonexistent directory
usage:  darkhttpd /path/to/wwwroot [flags]
Starting darkhttpd ...
</pre>


flags: --port number (default: 8080, or 80 if running as root)
This error message appears to be benign and of no consequence so can be ignored. I can only replicate this error on a VMWare vSphere client.
                Specifies which port to listen on for connections.


        --addr ip (default: all)
* If the daemon will not start, ensure you haven't made a syntax error in the init script.
                If multiple interfaces are present, specifies
                which one to bind the listening port to.


        --maxconn number (default: system maximum)
* Ensure the daemon is running with {{Cmd|$ rc-status}}
                Specifies how many concurrent connections to accept.


        --log filename (default: stdout)
* Make use of the logs to check it is receiving requests.  To do this, run {{Cmd|$ tail -f /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log}} and then send requests to the web server.  If darkhttpd is receiving the requests, lines will be logged. If you don't see these lines, perhaps a firewall rule is blocking access to the server or there is a routing issue somewhere?
                Specifies which file to append the request log to.
Use {{key|Ctrl}}+{{key|C}} to exit back to the prompt when finished testing.


        --chroot (default: don't chroot)
= See also =
                Locks server into wwwroot directory for added security.
* <code>darkhttpd --help</code>


        --daemon (default: don't daemonize)
                Detach from the controlling terminal and run in the background.


        --index filename (default: index.html)
[[Category:Web Server]]
                Default file to serve when a directory is requested.
 
        --mimetypes filename (optional)
                Parses specified file for extension-MIME associations.
 
        --uid uid/uname, --gid gid/gname (default: don't privdrop)
                Drops privileges to given uid:gid after initialization.
 
        --pidfile filename (default: no pidfile)
                Write PID to the specified file.  Note that if you are
                using --chroot, then the pidfile must be relative to,
                and inside the wwwroot.
 
        --no-keepalive
                Disables HTTP Keep-Alive functionality.
 
        --forward host url (default: don't forward)
                Web forward (301 redirect).
                Requests to the host are redirected to the corresponding url.
                The option may be specified multiple times, in which case
                the host is matched in order of appearance.
 
        --no-server-id
                Don't identify the server type in headers
                or directory listings.
</pre>

Latest revision as of 07:36, 26 September 2023

darkhttpd is a simple, fast HTTP 1.1 web server for static content. It does not support PHP or CGI etc but is designed to serve static content, which it does very well. darkhttpd would be an excellent alternative to Lighttpd for running an Alpine mirror

For a full list of features see the darkhttpd homepage

Install

# apk add darkhttpd

Configure

Default location of files to serve: /var/www/localhost/htdocs

Default log path: /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log

There's no configuration file for darkhttpd, everything is controlled from the command line or in our case the OpenRC init file, which is stored in /etc/init.d/darkhttpd and by default looks like this:

Contents of /etc/init.d/darkhttpd

#!/sbin/runscript description="darkhttpd web server" command="/usr/bin/darkhttpd" command_args="${document_root:-/var/www/localhost/htdocs} --chroot --daemon --uid darkhttpd --gid www-data --log /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log" procname="darkhttpd" pidfile="" stopsig="SIGTERM"

So by default we will serve pages from /var/www/localhost/htdocs and darkhttpd will run as a background daemon, chrooted to /var/www/localhost/htdocs with a user of darkhttpd and group of www-data. Logs will go to /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log. The default values have been chosen to provide sane, secure settings.

Change any of these values as you see fit, but it's a good idea to backup the file before making changes.

For a full list of available options, run:

$ darkhttpd

and amend the command_args line as you see fit. For example, you might wish to serve files from /var/files instead, so you can edit the /etc/init.d/darkhttpd file with an editor of your choice (vi, nano, vim or whatever) and make it like so:

Contents of /etc/init.d/darkhttpd

#!/sbin/runscript description="darkhttpd web server" command="/usr/bin/darkhttpd" command_args="/var/files --chroot --daemon --uid darkhttpd --gid www-data --log /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log" procname="darkhttpd" pidfile="" stopsig="SIGTERM"

Use

Filesharing is made easy; simply add your files under the server root, by default /var/www/localhost/htdocs

Test

Create a test page under the server root, by default /var/www/localhost/htdocs

# echo "this is a test page" > /var/www/localhost/htdocs/index.html

Note: You don't have to create a test page; in a working environment darkhttpd will generate a directory listing if no index page is found.

Start the daemon:

# rc-service darkhttpd start

Output should be something like this: 

 * Starting darkhttpd ...
darkhttpd/1.9, copyright (c) 2003-2013 Emil Mikulic.
listening on: http://0.0.0.0:80/
chrooted to `/var/www/localhost/htdocs'
set gid to 82
set uid to 100

Now point a browser to your darkhttpd server and you should get the index page, or a directory listing if you didn't create an index page.

Check the logfile:

$ tail /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log

Controlling darkhttpd status

Stop, start and restart the daemon in the usual fashion:

# rc-service darkhttpd start

# rc-service darkhttpd stop

# rc-service darkhttpd restart

Auto-start darkhttpd at boot

To add the daemon to the default runlevel so it auto-starts at boot, do:

# rc-update add darkhttpd

Troubleshooting

  • When restarting the daemon you may see an error message:
Stopping darkhttpd ...
/lib/rc/sh/runscript.sh: line 202: can't create /sys/fs/cgroup/openrc/darkhttpd/tasks: nonexistent directory
Starting darkhttpd ...

This error message appears to be benign and of no consequence so can be ignored. I can only replicate this error on a VMWare vSphere client.

  • If the daemon will not start, ensure you haven't made a syntax error in the init script.
  • Ensure the daemon is running with

    $ rc-status

  • Make use of the logs to check it is receiving requests. To do this, run

    $ tail -f /var/log/darkhttpd/access.log

    and then send requests to the web server. If darkhttpd is receiving the requests, lines will be logged. If you don't see these lines, perhaps a firewall rule is blocking access to the server or there is a routing issue somewhere?

Use Ctrl+C to exit back to the prompt when finished testing.

See also

  • darkhttpd --help
Retrieved from "https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/w/index.php?title=Darkhttpd&oldid=25312"