How to launch a secure local web server (HTTPS)

Some modern techs (HTTP2, ServiceWorker, MediaDevices.getUserMedia() etc.) must be served from a secure origin (HTTPS). To launch an HTTPS server, you must supply either:

• the --https flag
• --key and --cert files
• a --pfx file

The quickest method is to use the https flag, this will use the private key and certificate chain supplied with local-web-server. This example will serve your current project as a secure, static web site.

1. Install local-web-server

$ npm install -g local-web-server

2. Navigate into to your project

$ cd example-project

3. Launch the secure webserver.

$ ws --https
Serving at https://mbp.local:8000, https://127.0.0.1:8000, https://192.168.0.100:8000

4. Navigating to one of the listed URLs will render a directory listing or your index.html, if that file exists.

Next, read the guide on how to get the "green lock".