Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

mini_httpd VS OpenResty

Compare mini_httpd VS OpenResty and see what are their differences

mini_httpd logo mini_httpd

mini_httpd is a small HTTP server for low or medium traffic sites.

OpenResty logo OpenResty

Turning Nginx into a Full-fledged Web App Server
  • mini_httpd Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-12-06
  • OpenResty Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-16

mini_httpd features and specs

  • Lightweight
    mini_httpd is designed to be a minimal and lightweight HTTP server, which makes it consume very little system resources. This can be beneficial for systems with limited resources or for specific use-cases requiring simple functionalities.
  • Easy to configure
    With its minimalistic approach, mini_httpd is straightforward to configure and set up. This simplicity can be advantageous for users who need a basic server setup quickly.
  • Security focus
    mini_httpd offers certain security features like basic authentication and stringent simplicities which might result in fewer vulnerabilities compared to more complex servers.
  • Good for static content
    It is particularly well-suited for serving static content efficiently due to its simple architecture, which can be handy for websites that do not require dynamic content rendering.

Possible disadvantages of mini_httpd

  • Limited functionality
    Due to its minimalistic design, mini_httpd lacks many of the advanced features found in more comprehensive web servers, such as dynamic content handling and extensive configurability.
  • Lack of updates
    The development and update frequency of mini_httpd may not be as active as other popular web servers, potentially leading to security and compatibility concerns over time.
  • Not suitable for high traffic
    mini_httpd may not be ideal for handling high traffic loads or complex server-side operations, as it is not optimized for high performance under such conditions.
  • Limited community and support
    The user community and support options for mini_httpd are smaller compared to larger, more popular web servers, which can make troubleshooting and obtaining help more challenging.

OpenResty features and specs

  • High Performance
    Built on NGINX, OpenResty benefits from high-performance HTTP server capabilities, capable of handling a large number of simultaneous connections efficiently.
  • Extensibility
    Integrates seamlessly with the LuaJIT scripting language, allowing for powerful customizations and extending the server's functionality without the need to modify core code.
  • Rich Ecosystem
    Supports a wide range of third-party modules for various functionalities such as caching, security, request manipulation, and more, fostering a comprehensive and versatile ecosystem.
  • Asynchronous Processing
    Capable of non-blocking processing, which is essential for real-time web applications, ensuring lower latency and higher throughput.
  • Active Community and Support
    Backed by an active community and commercial support options, providing ample resources for troubleshooting, enhancing functionality, and keeping up with the latest best practices.

Possible disadvantages of OpenResty

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Requires proficiency in Lua scripting and understanding of NGINX configuration, which might be challenging for those new to these technologies.
  • Complex Debugging
    Debugging Lua code within OpenResty can be complex, lacking some of the more advanced debugging tools available for other languages.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there is documentation available, it may not be as comprehensive or beginner-friendly compared to other more mature web server ecosystems.
  • Niche Use Case
    Primarily suited for high-performance applications requiring custom HTTP server behavior, which might not be necessary for simpler web applications or APIs.
  • Resource Intensive
    Depending on the complexity of the Lua scripts and modules used, OpenResty can become resource-intensive, requiring careful optimization and resource management.

mini_httpd videos

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OpenResty videos

Why and how I built my CMS based on ArangoDB & openresty

More videos:

  • Review - OpenResty Edge 2 Admin Intro: Episode 3: Applications - Cache & Req Rewrite

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to mini_httpd and OpenResty)
Web And Application Servers
Web Servers
7 7%
93% 93
Application Server
6 6%
94% 94
Security
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenResty seems to be a lot more popular than mini_httpd. While we know about 22 links to OpenResty, we've tracked only 1 mention of mini_httpd. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

mini_httpd mentions (1)

  • Making a microservice from a shell script
    The Web server needs to be lightweight and able to execute code. Mini_httpd is the perfect choice for this! - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago

OpenResty mentions (22)

  • Native Acme Support Comes to Nginx
    Well you say that.... https://openresty.org/en/ "Real-world applications of OpenRestyยฎ range from dynamic web portals and web gateways, web application firewalls, web service platforms for mobile apps/advertising/distributed storage/data analytics, to full-fledged dynamic web applications and web sites. The hardware used to run OpenRestyยฎ also ranges from very big metals to embedded devices with very limited... - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Scriptable Operating Systems with Lua [pdf]
    It's maybe deprecated by the official Nginx support, but there are other projects and organizations that are offering Lua scripting with Nginx with all kinds of extensions and libraries. See OpenResty website[0] and Github repo[1]. [0] - https://openresty.org/en/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: The C10M Problem
    Have you seen https://openresty.org/en/ before? To share a quote directly taken from their website: > By taking advantage of various well-designed Nginx modules (most of which are developed by the OpenResty team themselves), OpenRestyยฎ effectively turns the nginx server into a powerful web app server, in which the web developers can use the Lua programming language to script various existing nginx C modules and... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Show HN: Lockbox: forward proxy for making third party API calls
    Nginx is quite extendable, there are tons of nginx plugins to help you add more customizations. There is OpenResty, a version of nginx [0]. It allows you to script all sorts of stuff with Lua inside nginx itself. Tools like lockbox are not necessary, nginx, caddy, etc or heck even a normal 70 line python3 fastapi based script works just fine and should be more extendable than lockbox. [0](https://openresty.org/en/). - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Five Apache projects you probably didn't know about
    APISIX is an API Gateway. It builds upon OpenResty, a Lua layer built on top of the famous nginx reverse-proxy. APISIX adds abstractions to the mix, e.g., Route, Service, Upstream, and offers a plugin-based architecture. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing mini_httpd and OpenResty, you can also consider the following products

thttpd - thttpd is a simple, small, portable, fast, and secure HTTP server.

Apache Tomcat - An open source software implementation of the Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages technologies

Apache HTTP Server - Apache httpd has been the most popular web server on the Internet since April 1996

Microsoft IIS - Internet Information Services is a web server for Microsoft Windows

micro_httpd - micro_httpd is a very small Unix-based HTTP server.

LiteSpeed Web Server - LiteSpeed Web Server (LSWS) is a high-performance Apache drop-in replacement.