Algernon

Self-Hosted

Lightweight web server with Lua, Markdown & WebSocket support

Overview

Algernon is a fast, self-contained web server written in Go, ideal for small projects and personal sites. It supports dynamic content via Lua scripts, built-in Markdown rendering, static file serving, and WebSockets. Deployed as a single binary (no dependencies), it includes tools like live reload for development and a built-in file browser. Its minimal footprint makes it perfect for resource-constrained environments or quick prototyping.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  algernon:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: algernon
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Single binary deployment (no external dependencies)
Dynamic content via Lua scripting & Markdown rendering
WebSocket support & live reload for development

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Algernon hard to install?

No—Algernon is distributed as a standalone binary with no dependencies. Download the appropriate binary for your OS from the GitHub repo, make it executable, and run it. Docker images are also available for containerized deployment.

? Is it a good alternative to Nginx for production?

Algernon is great for small to medium projects (personal sites, dev environments) but not ideal for high-traffic production. Nginx offers better scalability, reverse proxying, and load balancing features for enterprise-grade use cases.

? Is Algernon completely free to use?

Yes—Algernon is open source under the MIT License, allowing free use, modification, and distribution for both personal and commercial purposes with no restrictions.

Top Alternatives

Microsoft IIS Search Google

Oracle HTTP Server Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Free/Open Source

Category Web Servers

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Extremely lightweight (low CPU/memory usage)
⊕ Zero-config setup for basic use cases

Cons

⊖ Limited scalability for high-traffic production
⊖ Smaller community compared to mainstream servers like Nginx