- 1 year ago
Why python package http.server only works locally?
The http.server
module in Python is primarily intended for development and testing purposes and is designed to provide a basic HTTP server functionality. By default, when you run the http.server
module, it binds to the loopback address (localhost
, IP address 127.0.0.1
) and listens only on the local network interface. This restricts its accessibility to the local machine only.
This behavior is intentional for security reasons to prevent unintended exposure of the development server to the wider network, as it may not have the necessary security features or configurations for production use.
If you want to make the Python http.server
accessible from other machines on your network, you can specify the IP address 0.0.0.0
as the host address when running the server. For example:
bashpython -m http.server --bind 0.0.0.0
By specifying 0.0.0.0
as the host address, the server will bind to all available network interfaces, allowing access from other machines on the same network.
However, keep in mind that exposing the development server to the wider network can have security implications. It is recommended to use a more robust and secure web server solution, such as Apache or Nginx, for production deployments.