Fenix – Quick and Easy Local Web Server for Static File Testing

Fenix – Quick and Easy Local Web Server for Static File Testing(fenixwebserver.com)

35 points by egsec 11 years ago | 15 comments

mfkp 11 years ago |

Reading the title, I was expecting to reply "python -m SimpleHTTPServer", but it actually looks like a nice app with some useful features.

Would prefer ngrok over localtunnel, but hey, it's open source. Guess I'll do it myself!

postit 11 years ago | |

I prefere twisted. SimpleHTTPServer hangs on large files.

pip install twisted twistd -n web --path .

neilellis 11 years ago |

Nice simple, easy to use and focussed on the core task, not an accidental byproduct of another product/tool/language. So gets my +1

Of course there are many options to do the same thing - but this is a simple, clean and elegant start to a potentially really nice tool.

BorisMelnik 11 years ago |

It does look like a nice app. Any comments on security? Anytime I see a windows web server I worry a bit about about that, only based on what I've seen in the past.

The fact that it has a nice GUI makes adoption much more likely, going to play with this tonight :)

Edit: https://yvrwzxiyog.localtunnel.me Cool!

desireco42 11 years ago |

I am really surprised that anyone would need this, but it definitely doesn't hurt. From what I can see, it serves static sites only. I... kind of... never needed that.

It looks good though.

pyre 11 years ago | |

Local dev on a javascript-heavy app is one use. You run your build tools to generate the static files (e.g. a Grunt build process with grunt-contrib-watch configured), and then you need a local web server to serve up the files. I tend to stick with:

  python -m SimpleHTTPServer

though.

I actually setup a Tmuxinator session for such projects. It launches the static file server, the continuous build process, and a shell in the source directory.

Why not just run static files from disk? Most browsers refuse to execute JavaScript from file:/// Urls for security reasons (understandably).

babby 11 years ago | | |

I've done all of my client sidy test/prototyping javascript with plain .html and .js files.

SoftwareMaven 11 years ago |

This would be perfect with one feature: reverse proxy (. It would be perfect to be able to put this in front of Django. I agree, Apache is annoying for one's desktop.

traeblain 11 years ago | |

I agree...reverse proxy would cap this off awesomely. The other item I have been really wanting out of a local server tool is host definition as well.

In other words, I can setup a local site but instead of going to localhost:81 ... I can go to something like site1.dev or site1.local

I would love this.

phleet 11 years ago |

Beautiful page!

One small nit: when loading up the page on a mac, I see OS X window chrome around the examples, but Windows style C:\ file paths

pritambaral 11 years ago |

> Public sharing is tunneled through SSH (i.e. HTTPS).

I don't think SSH means what they think it means

SoftwareMaven 11 years ago | |

More accurate to say you don't know what the feature is and the verbiage is confusing.

"Fenix features the ability to share local sites immediately, securely, and temporarily. With one click, SSH tunneling will proxy your local server to a privately assigned (HTTPS) URL. There’s even a copy link that can be sent to collaborators. Presto! Your laptop is now a public web server. Possibly even a few if you share multiple sites at once."[1]

I guess they are providing the reverse tunneling as a service?

1. https://medium.com/tech-recipes/love-localhost-f488940f3e38

notastartup 11 years ago |

Looks interesting GUI but I much prefer to use Flask for simple needs. Flask has replaced Node.js completely, although I do miss the async, it's not worth wrestling with Javascript for in my experience.

    python server.py
    Running on http://127.0.0.1:5000

aw3c2 11 years ago |

Hey, your website requires Javascript to display anything without any reason. It only uses JS for distracting effects.