Serve

Pyloid provides functionality to serve static files with zero-copy optimization for high-performance frontend delivery. The server uses aiohttp with sendfile system calls and supports advanced features like range requests and ETag caching.

Static File Serving

pyloid_serve

Starts a zero-copy optimized static file server using aiohttp with advanced performance features.

• Uses zero-copy file serving with sendfile() system calls for maximum performance
• Supports HTTP range requests for partial content delivery (resumable downloads)
• Implements ETag caching to reduce unnecessary data transfer
• Automatically finds available ports when not specified
• Optimized for both development and production environments

from pyloid import Pyloid
from pyloid.serve import pyloid_serve

app = Pyloid(app_name="MyApp", single_instance=True)

########## Usage ##########

# Serve static files from a directory
url = pyloid_serve("dist-frontend")

# Create window and load the served content
window = app.create_window(title="My App", width=1200, height=800)
window.load_url(url)
window.show_and_focus()

Parameters

Returns

Server Features

Zero-Copy File Serving

The server uses zero-copy to transfer files directly from disk to network without copying data through user space, providing maximum performance for large files.

HTTP Range Requests

Supports partial content delivery, enabling:

• Resumable downloads in web browsers
• Video/audio streaming with seeking capability
• Efficient delivery of large files

ETag Caching

Implements HTTP ETag headers for intelligent caching:

• Browser can check if file has changed without downloading
• Reduces bandwidth usage and improves load times
• Automatic cache validation based on file modification time and size

Automatic Port Allocation

When no port is specified, the server automatically finds an available port using the system's port allocation mechanism, preventing port conflicts.

Security Features

• Directory Traversal Protection: Prevents access to files outside the served directory
• Path Validation: Ensures all requested paths are within the allowed directory
• Safe Path Resolution: Uses pathlib for secure path handling

Performance Optimizations

• Async I/O: Uses aiohttp for non-blocking I/O operations
• Threaded Execution: Runs server in daemon thread that terminates with main application
• Optimized Chunk Sizes: Uses 64KB chunks for efficient streaming
• Connection Backlog: Configured for high concurrency
• Keep-Alive: Optimized connection reuse

Usage Examples

Basic Static File Serving

from pyloid.serve import pyloid_serve

# Serve a built React/Vue/Angular app
url = pyloid_serve("build")
print(f"Server started at: {url}")

Custom Port

from pyloid.serve import pyloid_serve

# Use specific port
url = pyloid_serve("public", port=3000)
# Server will be available at http://127.0.0.1:3000

Integration with Pyloid App

from pyloid import Pyloid
from pyloid.serve import pyloid_serve

app = Pyloid(app_name="MyApp")

# Start server
frontend_url = pyloid_serve("dist")

# Create main window
main_window = app.create_window(
    title="My Application",
    width=1200,
    height=800
)
main_window.load_url(frontend_url)
main_window.show_and_focus()

# Run the application
app.run()