Embedded HTTP server

An embedded HTTP server is a component of a software system that implements the HTTP protocol. Examples of usage within an application might be:

There are a few advantages to using HTTP to perform the above:

  • HTTP is a well studied cross-platform protocol and there are mature implementations freely available.
  • HTTP is seldom blocked by firewalls and intranet routers.
  • HTTP clients (e.g. web browsers) are readily available with all modern computers.
  • There is a growing tendency of using embedded HTTP servers in applications that parallels the rising trends of home-networking and ubiquitous computing.

Typical requirements

Natural limitations of the platforms where an embedded HTTP server runs contribute to the list of the non-functional requirements of the embedded, or more precise, embeddable HTTP server. Some of these requirements:

  • "Small" RAM and ROM footprint. The exact size depends on the system, but in many cases anything over several megabytes is not embeddable.
  • Minimal CPU utilization.
  • Cross compilation support for multiple CPU and operating system combinations.
  • Easy integration with an existing application, including static linking with the operating system and application.
  • Serving pages from application memory if there is no file system.
  • Modularity.
  • Single thread and multi-thread support.

For every specific project, requirements can vary significantly. For example, ROM and RAM footprints can be a very serious constraint and limit the choices of the system designer. C++ or JVM availability for the system can be another constraint. Frequently performance is an issue, because typical embedded systems run multiple simultaneous tasks and an HTTP server is only one of them and may be configured as a low priority task.

gollark: GIFS ARE NOT GOODMODERN VIDEO CODECS ARE FAR SUPERIOR IN MOST WAYS
gollark: http://kspalaiologos.now.im/doc/MalbolgeLisp/MalbolgeLisp.gifWhy is this a *GIF*? Why would you use a *GIF* for *videos*? This is extreme heresy.
gollark: > the real mystery is the number of dollars in ly's bank accaunt3.
gollark: Yes. Honestly, that might have worked? Just add it in some mostly ignored submodule and never tell anyone.
gollark: I made something mildly mysterious in potatOS, but someone decompiled and reverse-engineered it.

See also
  • libmicrohttpd contains an extensive list of embedded HTTP server libraries towards the bottom of the page


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