local_server

A lightweight, zero-configuration HTTP server written in Ruby to share files from your computer to any device on your local network. It provides a clean, mobile-friendly web interface and a QR code for instant access.

Features

• Cross-Platform: Works on any system with Ruby installed (macOS, Linux, Windows).
• QR Code Support: Generate a QR code for easy access to the server URL on mobile devices.
• Configurable: Use command-line flags to change the port, show the QR code, or get help.
• Flexible: Serve files from any directory on your computer.

Requirements

• Ruby (tested with Ruby 2.x and 3.x)
• webrick (usually included with Ruby)
• rqrcode-core gem: This gem is required for the QR code functionality. If you use the -qr option and encounter an error, you may need to install it:

  gem install rqrcode

Installation

Since local_server is a Ruby script, you'll need a Ruby environment set up. Most macOS and Linux distributions come with Ruby pre-installed.

1. Save the script: Save the provided Ruby code into a file named local_server.rb (or any other name you prefer).

2. Make it executable:

   chmod +x local_server.rb

3. Move to your PATH: For easy execution from any directory, move the script to a directory included in your system's PATH (e.g., /usr/local/bin or ~/bin).

   mv local_server.rb /usr/local/bin/

   If /usr/local/bin requires superuser permissions, you might need to use sudo:

   sudo mv local_server.rb /usr/local/bin/

Usage

Once installed, you can run local_server.rb directly from your terminal.

Basic Usage

To serve files from your current directory:

local_server.rb

This will start the server on port 8000 (by default) and display the local URL.

Serving a Specific Directory

To serve files from a different directory (e.g., your Downloads folder):

local_server.rb ~/Downloads

Specifying a Port

To run the server on a different port (e.g., 3000):

local_server.rb -p 3000

Displaying a QR Code

To get a QR code for the server URL, which is handy for quickly accessing it on your phone:

local_server.rb -qr

You can combine options:

local_server.rb ~/Pictures -p 8080 -qr

Stopping the Server

To stop the server, press Ctrl+C in your terminal.

Examples

• Sharing a photo album with your phone:

  local_server ~/Photos/Vacation2024 -qr

  Scan the QR code with your phone's camera, and you'll be able to browse and download your photos.

• Quickly transfer a document to another computer on your network:

  local_server ~/Documents

  Then, on the other computer, open a web browser and navigate to the IP address and port displayed in your terminal (e.g., http://192.168.1.100:8000).

Contributing

Feel free to open issues here or submit pull requests on this repository.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.