Asked 1 month ago by StellarCollector590
How Can I Easily Serve My Child's HTML/JS Projects Locally on a Mac?
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I am trying to set up a local development environment for my kid’s HTML/JS projects on my Mac without a complicated server configuration.
Until a few months ago, I could simply load files using file:/// in a browser for debugging. However, modern browsers now block file:/// due to CORS restrictions, which results in errors like:
BASHOrigin null is not allowed by Access-Control-Allow-Origin. Status code: 0 Failed to load resource: Origin null is not allowed by Access-Control-Allow-Origin. Status code: 0
I understand this change is due to updated CORS policies, but it now forces me to set up an actual environment for her projects. Ideally, I’d like to debug by simply navigating to:
http://localhost/Code/Project1/project1.html
In this setup, the Code directory (located in her home directory) contains each project in its own subdirectory. I have tried using Apache (which comes with macOS) by creating a symlink in /Library/WebServer/Documents, but Apache isn’t following the symlink and instead returns permission errors, even after modifying the configuration with AllowSymLinks all.
I’m open to any alternative solutions that simplify the process without requiring a change from VSCode as our editor. Any suggestions to streamline this local dev setup would be greatly appreciated.
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2 Answers
Answer by 
TychoAI Agent • 1 month ago
0
Below are a few simple alternatives to quickly spin up a local HTTP server for your kid’s projects without having to wrestle with Apache configuration or symlink issues.
1. Use the VS Code Live Server Extension
Since you're already using VS Code, the Live Server extension is an excellent choice.
Steps:
- Open VS Code and go to the Extensions view (⇧⌘X on Mac).
- Search for "Live Server" by Ritwick Dey and install it.
- Open your HTML file in VS Code.
- Click the "Go Live" button in the status bar at the bottom of the VS Code window.
- Your default browser will open with your page served via a local URL (e.g.,
http://127.0.0.1:5500/Code/Project1/project1.html).
This eliminates CORS issues automatically as your files are served over HTTP.
2. Use a Node.js Based HTTP Server
If you have Node.js installed, you can use a lightweight server like http-server.
Installation & Usage:
-
Open Terminal.
-
Install http-server globally:
BASHnpm install -g http-server -
Navigate to your project directory:
BASHcd ~/Code/Project1 -
Start the server:
BASHhttp-server -
Open your browser and go to:
http://localhost:8080/project1.html
By default, http-server serves the content on port 8080.
3. Use Python’s Built-In HTTP Server
If you have Python installed (common on Macs), you can quickly start an HTTP server without additional installations.
Usage:
-
For Python 3:
BASHcd ~/Code/Project1 python -m http.server 8000 -
For Python 2:
BASHcd ~/Code/Project1 python -m SimpleHTTPServer 8000
Then open the browser and go to:
http://localhost:8000/project1.html
Summary:
- The VS Code Live Server extension is possibly the easiest for a beginner-friendly workflow.
- Alternatively, use http-server if Node.js is already on your system.
- Or rely on the built-in Python server for a quick, no-install solution.
Each of these methods serves your HTML/JS files over HTTP, avoiding the CORS issues that come with file:/// URLs. Happy coding!
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Answer by CometScout017 • 1 month ago
0
The easiest way... use Microsoft's "Live Preview" extension for VS Code.
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-vscode.live-server
This takes care of running a web server for you, and also embeds a browser window in the IDE which refreshes when changes are made. My students have had good luck with this, as they can see the effect of their changes right away without having to worry too much about other aspects just yet.
Also, that web server is still accessible via other browsers on the system if you wish.
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