# Install webfs with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix HTTP server for purely static content. Version 1.21 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-19. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:webfs ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install webfs ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install webfs ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: www/webfs/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install webfs ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: webfs from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#webfs ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/we/webfs/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:webfs - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.21 - **Source summary:** HTTP server for purely static content - **Homepage:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-19T12:33:04-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - webfsd (cli) - webfsd (alias) ## Dependencies - openssl@4 ## Build dependencies - httpd ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.21 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-19 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://linux.bytesex.org/misc/webfs.html - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage webfs, usually run as `webfsd`, is a tiny HTTP server for mostly static content. It was built for the old but still useful job of exporting a directory tree over HTTP quickly, without configuring a full Apache, nginx, or application server. ### Project history Gerd Knorr's webfs dates to the late 1990s. Debian's man page credits copyright years 1999 and 2000, and a Freshmeat-era announcement for webfs 1.5 appeared in November 2000, describing it as a simple static HTTP server tested on Linux and FreeBSD. The 2000 announcement already shows the shape that made the tool last: a very small binary, sendfile support with a userspace fallback, IPv6, chroot-to-docroot, basic authentication, and virtual hosts. The current homepage keeps the same theme, presenting webfs as a quick way to serve static files or expose FTP-server content via HTTP. ### Adoption history webfs became a small distribution package rather than a large upstream platform. Its continued presence in Debian, Ubuntu, MacPorts, Nix, and Homebrew reflects a specific utility: administrators and developers still occasionally want a minimal static file server with Unix permissions and simple daemon behavior. The package's longevity comes from being boring in the best sense. It does not compete with modern reverse proxies or app servers; it survives because a tiny static HTTP daemon remains handy for tests, rescue environments, old hardware, package repositories, and temporary file sharing. ### How it is used Typical use is to point `webfsd` at a directory and let it serve regular files and directory listings. Access control relies primarily on Unix file permissions, and the daemon can drop privileges after binding privileged ports or entering a chroot when installed and configured for that mode. webfs is most appropriate for static content: quick exports, LAN file drops, read-only mirrors, or lightweight development fixtures. It is not a dynamic web stack, and that limitation is exactly why the package remains easy to reason about. ### Why package nerds care webfs is significant as a fossil that still works: a compact pre-container HTTP daemon with the Unix philosophy plainly visible. For package nerds, it represents the era when a useful server could be a tens-of-kilobytes binary plus a man page, and still earn a slot in modern package indexes. ### Timeline - 1999: Debian manpage copyright history identifies Gerd Knorr's authorship beginning in 1999. - 2000-11: Freshmeat announced webfs 1.5 with IPv6, chroot, basic auth, virtual hosts, and sendfile fallback support. - 2014: Debian jessie carried a webfsd man page, showing long-running distribution packaging. - 2025: The upstream release directory listed webfs 1.21-era release artifacts. - 2026: Homebrew and other package managers still carried webfs as a static HTTP server package. ### Related projects - Related tools include thttpd, darkhttpd, busybox httpd, Python's `http.server`, nginx static serving, Apache httpd, and other small daemons used when static file export is the whole job. ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** webfs - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 2 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - webfs - 1.21+ds1-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: webfs from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | lightweight HTTP server for static content | http://linux.bytesex.org/misc/webfs.html - Nix - webfs: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/we/webfs/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - webfs - 1.21+ds1-12build3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: webfs from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | lightweight HTTP server for static content | http://linux.bytesex.org/misc/webfs.html - MacPorts - webfs: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: www/webfs/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Web development packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/web-dev-tools/) - Matched web development metadata. - [openssl@4](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openssl-4/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [httpd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/httpd/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [mighttpd2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mighttpd2/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cgi, cli, http-server, networking, web-server. - [caddy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/caddy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, http-server, networking, web-server. - [darkhttpd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/darkhttpd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, http-server, networking, static-files, web-server. - [fcgi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fcgi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cgi, cli, networking, web-server. - [fcgiwrap](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fcgiwrap/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cgi, cli, networking, web-server. - [lighttpd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lighttpd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, http-server, networking, web-server. - [static-web-server](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/static-web-server/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, static-files, web-server. - [algernon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/algernon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, web-server. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/webfs.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/webfs.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph