S-localhost

A small, good-looking desktop app (Python + CustomTkinter) that turns any folder on your computer into a live local website — with one click, and a QR code you can scan to open it on your phone instantly (as long as your phone is on the same Wi‑Fi network).

What it does

• Two source modes, switchable at the top of the sidebar:
  • Folder — pick any folder and it becomes the root of a real local website (index.html inside it is served automatically).
  • Single HTML — pick any standalone .html file, anywhere, and the app serves it as if it were index.html — no renaming, no moving files. Other files sitting next to it (CSS, JS, images) are still reachable normally, since the whole folder is served alongside the alias.
• Choose a port (defaults to 8000).
• Click Start Server — the app spins up a local server in the background and shows you the URL (e.g. http://192.168.1.23:8000).
• A QR code for that exact URL appears — scan it with your phone's camera to open the site immediately, no typing required.
• Copy the URL, open it in your own browser, and watch a live activity log of every request hitting the server.
• Click Stop Server to shut it down cleanly.

Optional: self-signed HTTPS + HTTP → HTTPS redirect

Tick Enable HTTPS (self-signed) before starting the server to:

• Generate a fresh self-signed TLS certificate for localhost and your machine's current LAN IP (stored under ~/.s-localhost/certs/), and serve the site over https:// on your chosen port.
• Optionally run a second, plain HTTP server (Redirect HTTP → HTTPS, on its own port — default 8080) whose only job is to 301-redirect any request straight to the HTTPS URL, so visitors typing http:// still land on the secure site.

Because the certificate is self-signed (not issued by a public authority), browsers and phones will show a "not secure" / trust warning the first time you visit — this is expected. Tap Advanced → Proceed (wording varies by browser) to continue. The app shows a reminder about this once HTTPS is on.

Optional: a custom name instead of an IP address (mDNS / .local)

Tick Use custom name (mDNS .local) and type a name (e.g. my-site) before starting the server to publish that name on the local network via mDNS/Bonjour — the URL becomes http://my-site.local:8000 (or https://… if HTTPS is on too) instead of http://192.168.1.23:8000. The QR code encodes this friendly URL, and the raw IP address is still shown underneath as a fallback.

• Works out of the box on macOS, iOS, and Linux with Avahi (Bonjour / mDNS support is built in).
• On Windows, install "Bonjour Print Services" (or iTunes, which bundles it) for .local names to resolve.
• On Android, support is inconsistent between devices/browsers — if the .local name doesn't load, use the IP fallback shown under the URL (or scan the QR code again after switching the toggle off).
• Only devices on the same Wi‑Fi/LAN can resolve the name, same as the IP address itself.

Setup

1. Make sure you have Python 3.9+ installed.
2. (Linux only) Tkinter isn't always bundled with Python — install it first:

   sudo apt install python3-tk

3. Install the dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Run the app:

   python app.py

Usage

1. Pick a source mode: Folder (a full website's files) or Single HTML (one standalone .html file).
2. Click Choose Folder / Choose HTML File and select it (a folder needs an index.html at the top level to load a homepage automatically — otherwise you'll get a file listing).
3. Set a port if you want something other than 8000.
4. (Optional) Tick Enable HTTPS (self-signed) for https://, and optionally Redirect HTTP → HTTPS with its own port (default 8080).
5. (Optional) Tick Use custom name (mDNS .local) and type a friendly name to get a URL like my-site.local instead of a raw IP address.
6. Click ▶ Start Server.
7. Scan the QR code with your phone (same Wi‑Fi network as your computer), or click Open in Browser / Copy URL on your own machine. If HTTPS is on, accept the one-time self-signed certificate warning.
8. Click ■ Stop Server whenever you're done.

Notes

• The server binds to 0.0.0.0, so it's reachable from any device on your local network — not just localhost. That's what makes the QR code work.
• If a port is already in use, the app will tell you in the activity log — just pick a different port and try again.
• Ports below 1024 (like the standard 80 for HTTP or 443 for HTTPS) usually require administrator/root privileges — stick to ports 1024+ (like the 8000/8080/8443 defaults) to avoid permission errors.
• This is meant for local development / sharing on a trusted network, not for exposing a site to the public internet.

Links

The bottom of the sidebar has quick-access buttons for:

• View Source Code — https://github.com/sgdev-official/S-Localhost
• License — https://github.com/sgdev-official/S-Localhost
• Android App (Mobile Viewer) — https://github.com/sgdev-official/S-Localhost/releases/tag/1.2