Python 3 web server directory listing tutorial 2025
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To create a simple web server in Python 3 that serves files from a specific directory, you can use the built-in http.server module. This module makes it easy to share files over HTTP with minimal setup. Here’s a straightforward guide to get you started:
Open a terminal window on your machine. Ensure that you have Python 3 installed by running:
python3 --version
Use the cd command to change to the directory you want to serve. For example:
cd /path/to/your/directory
You can start the HTTP server with a single command. Use the following command to serve the directory:
python3 -m http.server 8000
This command starts an HTTP server on port 8000. You can choose any port that's free on your machine.
Open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost:8000. You will see a list of files and folders in the directory you specified, allowing easy access to your content.
8000 with your desired port number in the command.http://<your-ip-address>:8000.While this server is perfect for development and local testing, it is not recommended for production environments due to lack of security features. Always consider using a more robust solution such as Flask or Django for production use.
By following these steps, you can quickly set up a functional web server to serve directory files using Python 3, making it incredibly convenient for local testing and development. For more advanced functionality or features, consider exploring frameworks like Flask or FastAPI.