🇨🇳 · 🇬🇧

hs http-server-cli

Forget ports. Just preview.

Based on python3 -m http.server, zero external dependencies. Just hs -o to preview your project.

• Zero External Dependencies — Python 3.7+, macOS/Linux/Windows (pip install http-server-cli)
• Auto Port + Smart Index — Default 8080, auto-increment on conflict; auto-open most-recent HTML when no index.html; specify with -i (hs -o)
• Project Management — Track port↔path mapping, monitor CPU/memory, JSON output (hs list)
• Multiple Launch Modes — Daemon or foreground (-d/-f)
• Web Dashboard — hs dashboard -o GUI (CN/EN toggle, 60s countdown, Kill All, error handler)
• AI Agent Integration — hs mcp MCP Server (SSE/stdio, 6 tools), managed infrastructure isolation

Why hs

Multiple frontend projects → constant context switching: "Which port is A on?" "Who's occupying 8080?".

hs closes the loop: Start → Track → List → Kill.

Comparison

Scenario	Before	With hs
Start server	python3 -m http.server 8080 + open browser manually	hs -o — auto-find free port, open browser
View servers	lsof -i :8080, then ps	hs list
Switch projects	Kill old, start new (or conflict)	hs ../project-b
Kill server	lsof → kill <pid>	hs kill 8080

Installation

pip install http-server-cli
# or: pip install --upgrade http-server-cli

Verify:

hs version # → http-server-cli v1.0.x
hs -o # Start in current directory + open browser

Usage

Daily Workflow

# 1. Preview your projectcd~/project-alpha
hs -o # Auto port + open browser# 2. Check running servers
hs list
# ✅ http://localhost:8080 → ~/project-alpha# ✅ http://localhost:8081 → ~/project-beta (daemon)# 3. Kill unwanted servers
hs kill 8080 # By port
hs kill~/project-alpha # By path
hs kill-all # Kill all

Start

Command	Description
hs . [-o] [-d] [-f]	Current directory, auto-find free port
hs /path [-o] [-d] [-f]	Specify directory
hs . -i app.html [-o]	Custom index file
hs . -i './snapshots/*.html' [-o]	Glob → most recently modified file
hs /path/to/file.html [-o]	HTML file path → auto-extract directory + set index
hs /path/snapshots/*.html [-o]	Path glob → most recent file
hs start [path] [-o] [-d] [-f] [-i <file>]	Full form of hs .

View

Command	Description
hs list	List running servers (alive only)
hs list --port	Ports only
hs list --path	Paths only
hs list --short	port:path format
hs list --json	JSON output
hs search <keyword> [--json]	Search by port or path
hs status <port|path> [--json]	Single server status (CPU/memory/log)

Kill

Command	Description
hs kill 8080	By port
hs kill ~/project	By path
hs kill /path/to/file.html	HTML file → auto-resolve to parent dir
hs kill /path/*.html	Glob → most recent file
hs kill-all	Kill all user services
hs kill-all --json	JSON output

Dashboard

Command	Description
hs dashboard [-p PORT] [-o] [--json]	Web dashboard (default 8180)
hs dashboard stop|status|restart|help	Subcommands

MCP (AI Agent)

Command	Description
hs mcp [--transport stdio|sse] [--port PORT]	MCP Server for AI Agent
hs mcp stop|status|restart|help	Subcommands

History & Config

Command	Description
hs history [--json]	Server start/stop history (excludes temp dirs)
hs config [--json]	Show configuration
hs set port|domain <value>	Change configuration
hs version [--json]	Show version
hs help	Show help

Tips

• hs without args = hs start . (start in current directory)
• hs . -i app.html: use app.html as the index page

Data Directory

~/.http-server-cli/
├── config.json # Default port/domain configuration
├── registry.json # port → {path, pid, domain, started_at, index_page}
├── registry-managed.json # Infrastructure services (dashboard, MCP SSE)
└── logs/{port}.log # http.server logs

Local Development

git clone git@github.com:imjaden/http-server-cli.git
cd http-server-cli
pip install -e .
python3 -m pytest tests/

Is This Reinventing the Wheel?

Tool	Start Server	Auto Port	Track Project↔Port	List All	Kill by Name	Open Browser
python3 -m http.server	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
http-server (npm)	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
serve (npm)	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
live-server	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	✅
portless (npm)	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	✅
kill-port-cli (npm)	❌	❌	❌	✅	✅	❌
lsof / netstat	❌	❌	❌	Manual	Manual	❌
http-server-cli	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅