Simple Java Server

This project is a simple HTTP server implemented in Java. It was created as a learning exercise to understand the fundamentals of client-server architecture, HTTP protocols, and socket programming.

Overview

The server listens on port 80 and handles GET requests from clients. It serves files from a predefined directory structure based on the requested resource path. The server also handles common HTTP errors such as 404 Not Found and 405 Method Not Allowed.

Key Features

• Basic HTTP Server: Handles GET requests and serves static files.
• Error Handling: Returns appropriate HTTP status codes for errors like 404 Not Found and 405 Method Not Allowed.
• Multi-threaded: Each client connection is handled in a separate thread, allowing the server to handle multiple clients concurrently.
• Dynamic Content-Type Detection: Uses Files.probeContentType to determine the MIME type of the requested resource.

How It Works

1. The server starts and listens on port 80.
2. When a client connects, the server reads the HTTP request line and headers.
3. The server processes the request:
   • If the request method is not GET, it responds with a 405 Method Not Allowed error.
   • If the Host header is missing, it responds with a 400 Bad Request error.
   • If the requested resource does not exist, it responds with a 404 Not Found error.
   • If the resource exists, it sends the file content with the appropriate Content-Type header.
4. The server closes the connection after processing the request.

Learning Goals

This project was created to achieve the following learning objectives:

• Understand the basics of client-server communication.
• Learn how to implement a simple HTTP server using Java sockets.
• Gain familiarity with HTTP protocols, headers, and status codes.
• Practice file handling and dynamic content-type detection in Java.

Version

0.1.0

License

Copyright © 2025 Janinda Rukshan. All Rights Reserved.
This project is licensed under the MIT License

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Thanks for checking it out!