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simplehttp VS Mongoose Web Server

Compare simplehttp VS Mongoose Web Server and see what are their differences

simplehttp logo simplehttp

A family of libraries and daemons for building scalable web infrastructure.

Mongoose Web Server logo Mongoose Web Server

Embedded web server with a Web UI builder for your microcontroller powered device. Use our no-code wizard to create your Web UI in minutes.
  • simplehttp Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-10
  • Mongoose Web Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-03

Mongoose is a network library for C/C++. It provides event-driven non-blocking APIs for TCP, UDP, HTTP, WebSocket, MQTT, and other protocols. It is designed for connecting devices and bringing them online. On the market since 2004, used by vast number of open source and commercial products - it even runs on the International Space Station! Mongoose makes embedded network programming fast, robust, and easy. Features include: Cross-platform: - works on Linux/UNIX, MacOS, Windows, Android - works on ST, NXP, ESP32, Nordic, TI, Microchip, Infineon, Renesas and other chips - write code once - and it'll work everywhere - ideal for the unification of the network infrastructure code across company - Built-in protocols: plain TCP/UDP, SNTP, HTTP, MQTT, Websocket, and other.

simplehttp features and specs

  • Easy to Use
    Simplehttp is designed to be easy to use, with minimal setup and a straightforward API that makes it accessible for developers who need to quickly implement HTTP servers and clients.
  • Lightweight
    The library is lightweight, which means it has a small footprint and is suitable for applications where minimizing resource usage is important.
  • Fast Setup
    It allows for rapid deployment and configuration, enabling developers to get an HTTP server up and running quickly without dealing with complex configurations.

Possible disadvantages of simplehttp

  • Limited Functionality
    Being simple and lightweight, simplehttp may lack some advanced features and flexibility compared to more comprehensive HTTP libraries.
  • Community and Support
    As it is not one of the most popular HTTP libraries, it may have a smaller community, which can result in less community-driven support and fewer third-party resources.
  • Documentation
    The documentation, while sufficient for basic use, might not be as extensive or detailed as larger, more widely-used libraries, which could pose challenges for new users.

Mongoose Web Server features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Cesanta Mongoose is known for its small footprint, making it suitable for devices with limited resources.
  • Embeddable
    It can be easily embedded into various systems and applications due to its compact design.
  • Cross-Platform
    Supports multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, and even embedded systems like ESP8266 and ESP32.
  • Easy to Use
    Provides a simple API that makes it easy to integrate HTTP, WebSocket, MQTT, and other protocols.
  • High Performance
    Designed to handle a large number of connections efficiently, making it suitable for high-performance applications.
  • Active Community
    A robust and active community that contributes to the library, ensures frequent updates, and provides support.

Analysis of simplehttp

Overall verdict

  • simplehttp (notably the bitly/simplehttp C library) is a solid, lightweight toolkit for building fast HTTP-based services, but it's a somewhat dated and niche project with limited ongoing maintenance, so it's better suited for specific performance-focused use cases than as a general-purpose modern web framework.

Why this product is good

  • Written in C and built on libevent, offering very high performance and low overhead for simple HTTP endpoints
  • Provides a collection of ready-made daemons (e.g., for queuing, counting, pubsub) that solve common infrastructure problems out of the box
  • Small, auditable codebase makes it easy to understand, modify, or embed into existing C/C++ projects
  • Proven in production at scale (originally developed and used by Bitly for high-throughput services)
  • Minimal dependencies compared to heavier frameworks, making deployment simpler in constrained environments

Recommended for

  • Developers needing lightweight, high-performance HTTP microservices in C
  • Teams building internal infrastructure tools like counters, queues, or simple pub/sub systems
  • Projects where minimal footprint and speed are prioritized over feature-rich frameworks
  • Engineers comfortable working with C and willing to maintain/extend an older, less actively developed codebase
  • Not ideal for teams wanting modern web framework features, active community support, or built-in security/auth layers

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to simplehttp and Mongoose Web Server)
Javascript UI Libraries
Development Tools
5 5%
95% 95
JavaScript Framework
100 100%
0% 0
Libraries And Widgets
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Mongoose Web Server seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. 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.

simplehttp mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of simplehttp yet. Tracking of simplehttp recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Mongoose Web Server mentions (1)

  • Janet โ€“ a Lisp-like functional, imperative programming language
    Different mongoose in this case: https://cesanta.com/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 5 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing simplehttp and Mongoose Web Server, you can also consider the following products

jQuery - The Write Less, Do More, JavaScript Library.

React Native - A framework for building native apps with React

Babel - Babel is a compiler for writing next generation JavaScript.

Composer - Composer is a tool for dependency management in PHP.

OpenSSL - OpenSSL is a free and open source software cryptography library that implements both the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols, which are primarily used to provide secure communications between web browsers and โ€ฆ

Raven.js - Raven.js is a standalone JavaScript client for Sentry.