HTTP Server

HTTP Web Server routines are used to run and configure services of the embedded web server. More...

Content
	Dynamic Web Content
	Advanced Web Technologies for modern Web-based User Interfaces.
	Delivering Web Pages
	How web pages are stored on and delivered by the HTTP Server.
	Control Interface
	Functions to work with the HTTP server.
	Access and Multi-User Interface
	Functions to filter access to the HTTP server and to work with user accounts.
	File System Interface
	HTTP server functions that work with a File System.
	Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
	Functions reacting on CGI requests to the HTTP server.
	Configuration
	Configuration of the HTTP server.
	FCARM File Converter
	Software utility to compile static web pages.

Description

HTTP Web Server routines are used to run and configure services of the embedded web server.

A HTTP or web server processes requests via HTTP, a network protocol used to exchange information on the World Wide Web (WWW). The main function of a HTTP server is to store, process and deliver web pages to clients. Pages delivered are usually HTML documents, which may include images, style sheets and scripts in addition to text content. Using HTML, you describe what a page must look like, what types of fonts to use, what color the text should be, where paragraph marks must come, and many more aspects of the document.

Using SSL/TLS, you can securely communicate with the web server through HTTPS. The ARM mbed TLS software component enables this for the Network component's web server. Refer to Secure Communication for more information.

There are two types of web pages which are stored on a web server and sent to a web client on request:

• Static Web pages do not change their content. When the page is requested, it is sent to the web client as it is. It is not modified.
• Dynamic Web pages are generated when the page is requested. Pages that show system settings or log records are examples of dynamic pages.

The Network Component supports both of them. Static web pages are generally stored in a ROM file system. The files are converted into C-code by the FCARM file converter and compiled into code.

The Network Component supports two types of HTTP servers: the Compact Web Server can store HTML files only in a read-only memory (ROM). An update of pages stored in ROM is not possible. The Full Web Server uses the to store data on a rewritable storage device. These files can be updated in the field. Several advanced features are integrated into both web servers:

• A scripting language is used to generate Dynamic Web pages.
• AJAX allows you to move the web page processing from the web server to the client browser.
• SOAP allows you to produce some cutting edge user interfaces.
• Web on SD card allows you to store web site resource files on an SD Card.

This documentation is separated as follows:

• Dynamic Web Content can be generated using CGI and JavaScript.
• Delivering Web Pages supports static and dynamic content and can be used with browser caching.
• Control Interface explains how to start/stop the HTTP Server and to manage built-in user accounts.
• Access and Multi-User Interface shows how to filter out hosts, which are not allowed to connect to the HTTP Server and how to add additional user accounts and to manage access rights for each user.
• File System Interface gives you details about the functions that are used to read/write data on the HTTP server's storage device.
• Common Gateway Interface (CGI) explains the script functions that are used for the scripting language.
• Configuration explains the configuration options of the HTTP server.
• The FCARM File Converter utility can be used to compress static web pages for storing in ROM.