miniserve

miniserve is a small, self-contained CLI tool that serves local files and directories over HTTP with minimal setup. It provides a web UI for browsing content and supports common sharing features like authentication, uploads, and on-the-fly downloads.

Key Features

• Serve a directory or single file with automatic directory listings
• Correct MIME type handling out of the box
• Single static binary with no runtime dependencies
• Optional basic authentication (including hashed passwords or auth file)
• TLS support for HTTPS serving
• File uploads, optional directory creation, and optional deletion controls
• On-the-fly folder downloads as .tar.gz or .zip
• WebDAV support and HTTP range requests
• SPA mode, pretty URLs, and optional custom headers
• QR code display for quick access from mobile devices

Use Cases

• Quickly share files on a LAN for ad-hoc collaboration or device transfers
• Serve a static site or SPA locally for testing and demos
• Lightweight file drop or upload endpoint for small teams and temporary workflows

Limitations and Considerations

• Intended for lightweight sharing and quick setups rather than complex web hosting scenarios
• TLS support may vary by target architecture depending on build features

miniserve is a pragmatic choice when you need an easy, fast way to expose files over HTTP without deploying a full web server stack. Its single-binary approach and built-in sharing features make it especially useful for quick, temporary, or local file distribution.