ServeBox
A lightweight local file browser and server with a Finder-inspired interface, file previews, search, and file management features.
Sometimes you just need to browse or share the files on a machine — your home server, a VM or a Raspberry Pi — from a browser. python -m http.server does it in one line, but gives you a bare directory listing with no previews, search or file management, and little protection.
ServeBox keeps the one-command simplicity and adds a Finder-style web interface: icon and list views, Quick Look previews for images, video, audio, PDFs and text, search, colour tags, drag-and-drop uploads and moves, and a layout that works on phones.
It is designed for local and private networks, and safety is built in rather than bolted on: every request goes through a single path resolver that keeps it inside the chosen directory, LAN access requires a token by default, there is a read-only mode, and uploaded files are served in a sandbox so they can't run scripts against the app. It is written in Python and released under the MIT license.
Key features
- Browsing: icon view with thumbnails, sortable list view, folder tree, instant filtering and recursive search
- Quick Look previews for text, images, PDF, audio and video
- File management: rename, move, delete, multi-select, drag-and-drop moves and uploads with progress, and Finder-style colour tags
- Keyboard shortcuts modelled on Finder
- Read-only mode and optional token authentication; binding to all interfaces requires a token by default
- Security headers: strict CSP, sandboxed raw file responses and cross-origin request rejection
Updates
ServeBox open-sourced
A local file browser and server with a Finder-style web UI, Quick Look previews and strict root-directory confinement.