GNU's libmicrohttpd 0.9.55 Embeddable Web Server Released

[phoronix]

Phoronix: GNU's libmicrohttpd 0.9.55 Embeddable Web Server Released

A new release is now available of libmicrohttpd, the GNU project making it easy to run an HTTP web server as part of another application...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=GNU-libmicrohttpd-0.9.55

[uid313]

PHP have a built-in web server.

http://php.net/manual/en/features.commandline.webserver.php

Python have a built-in web server.

https://docs.python.org/3/library/http.server.html

.NET Core have Kestrel.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/fundamentals/servers/kestrel

I guess libmicrohttpd is for you if you use C. It doesn't support HTTP/2 but it shouldn't matter for embedded servers anyway.

[kpedersen]

For C and C++ projects I tend to use mongoose httpd instead (https://github.com/cesanta/mongoose)

It is very light, just one .c and one .h file unlike most bloated web libraries but also supports websockets and https. Actually, regardless of language I use, I tend to bind to mongoose because it is just so light. It has a commercial license and GPL duel license.

As a side note, Cesanta (the same guys behind mongoose) also have a fantastic Javascript library (v9) which is easier to integrate than duktape for C99 projects and unlike Node.js isn't a bloated piece of crap

I have given libmicrohttpd a go a while back but was put off by one thing... can anyone explain this weird hack on the example code (https://www.gnu.org/software/libmicrohttpd/):

  if (&dummy != *ptr)
    {
      /* The first time only the headers are valid,
         do not respond in the first round... */
      *ptr = &dummy;
      return MHD_YES;
    }

Made worse by the fact that this dummy variable is a static int, and they have specified to run the example threaded (MHD_USE_THREAD_PER_CONNECTION), so frankly this also seems like a bad idea.

[Brane215]

Moongose is single-threaded.

[starshipeleven]

Moongose is single-threaded.

Is that an issue? I don't think the hardware using this thing would benefit for multithreading as on average it's single-core microcontrollers.

[Brane215]

In some circumstances. libmicrohttpd can be used in scenarios that demand higher throughput, while moongoose seems to be for much smaller stuff, so it's not a no-brainer alternative.

I am looking for simple server that can be tailored for my purpose and after quick glance through sources I like libmicrohttpd better.
Yes, it has more than one source file, but that's because everything is neatly partitioned. moongoose has one looong c source, which isn't that much better.
It might have compiled better, but now with -flto that shouldn't be an issue.

[starshipeleven]

In some circumstances. libmicrohttpd can be used in scenarios that demand higher throughput, while moongoose seems to be for much smaller stuff, so it's not a no-brainer alternative.

Could you make an example?
I can't think of more complex applications than an application's web interface or something mostly-single-user like that for such simple embedded web servers. Like for example Crelay application https://github.com/ondrej1024/crelay

For actual web serving on low-end stuff I'd use nginx.

[Brane215]

For example, I plan to use it for my server that'l generate dynamic content from server itself, without php etc.
Something that can punch above its weight but still have manageable source.

[coder]

*grumble*

Article specifically mentions "for integration into other GPL applications", so I'm thinking it's GPL'd.

Not so. According to their website (https://www.gnu.org/software/libmicrohttpd/):

you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the GNU LGPL v2.1 or at your option any later version. If you disable HTTPS/SSL support, you can also choose the second license, the eCos License.

Michael, please be more careful when mentioning GPL. I'm glad I checked. I almost didn't.

[nanonyme]

PHP have a built-in web server.

http://php.net/manual/en/features.commandline.webserver.php

Python have a built-in web server.

https://docs.python.org/3/library/http.server.html

.NET Core have Kestrel.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/fundamentals/servers/kestrel

I guess libmicrohttpd is for you if you use C. It doesn't support HTTP/2 but it shouldn't matter for embedded servers anyway.

The one in Python is a toy that you shouldn't ever let face the Internet. Dunno about the others