setting up an HTTP static file server

node_http-server.txt

#Github: https://github.com/indexzero/http-server
#npmjs: https://www.npmjs.com/package/http-server

#become root
sudo su -

#install Node.js and its package manager "npm"
apt-get install node npm -y #Raspian
apt-get install node -y #Ubuntu
yum install nodejs npm #Fedora 21
dnf install nodejs #Fedora 22
#Debian
apt-get install curl
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_10.x | sudo -E bash -
apt-get install nodejs -y

#make sure both node and npm are installed and run
which node
node --version
which npm
npm --version
#Debian, if necessary, fix using a symbolic link
ln -s /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/bin/node

#install http-server for node
npm install http-server -g

#make sure it is exists
which http-server

#and that it runs in node
node http-server --help
node http-server &
#if the path searching does not work, use absolute pathing
/usr/bin/node http-server --help
/usr/bin/node http-server &
/usr/bin/node /usr/local/bin/http-server --help
/usr/bin/node /usr/local/bin/http-server &

#kill it
ps -A | grep node
pkill node
ps -A | grep node

#Find the true path of http-server
#The true path should have been listed when the symbolic was created. It can also be found by:
which http-server
#It will list it as /usr/bin/http-server, /usr/local/bin/http-server or similar, then:
ls -l /usr/local/bin/http-server
#Output: /usr/local/bin/http-server -> ../lib/node_modules/http-server/bin/http-server
cd /usr/local/lib/node_modules/http-server

#remove some unncessary data
nano /usr/local/lib/node_modules/http-server/node_modules/ecstatic/lib/ecstatic/show-dir/index.js
#1) delete the following two lines:
html += `${'<tr>' +
'<td><i class="icon '}${iconClass}"></i></td>`;
#2) change the line that says:
if (!hidePermissions) {
#to:
if (hidePermissions) {
#3) remove the <address> tag and contents that start on following line and ends in </address>:
html += `<br><address>Node.js ${

#save changes and exit nano
CTRL+O
CTRL+X

#test configuration. Note: use absolute paths.
/usr/bin/nodejs /usr/local/bin/http-server /home/pi/Public -p 80 &

#kill it
ps -A | grep node
pkill node
ps -A | grep node

#switch back to non-root shell
exit

#add this to task scheduler
crontab -e  #select `nano` if prompted to pick a text editor
@reboot sudo /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/local/bin/http-server /home/pi/Public --no-dotfiles -p 8080
@daily sudo pkill node && sudo /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/local/bin/http-server /home/pi/Public --no-dotfiles -p 8080

#save changes and exit
CTRL+O
CTRL+X

#reboot to test if autostart works
shutdown -r 0