⚡ Open-source static hosting for humans

Beautiful directory browsing without running a server.

Host public files on Amazon S3, deliver them globally through CloudFront, and generate clean directory listings without maintaining Apache, PHP, cPanel, or a fragile VPS.

Start with the README Beginner Quickstart Troubleshooting Documentation Map

# The better mousetrap
S3 stores your files
S3 events notice changes
Lambda updates directory indexes
CloudFront serves globally
Lambda@Edge renders beautiful listings

✓ no VPS patching
✓ no cPanel
✓ no exposed server admin panel
✓ scales like static hosting
✓ still feels like a live directory

Secure by default

There is no traditional web server to log into, harden, patch, or accidentally misconfigure.

Fast around the world

CloudFront does the global delivery while tiny Lambda functions handle directory intelligence.

Beginner friendly

The architecture teaches modern cloud primitives without demanding professional sysadmin skills.

Why this exists

Lots of people want to publish open-source files, downloads, images, docs, and experiments. They should not have to rent a VPS, install a stack, secure SSH, configure Apache, babysit PHP, or remember how to rebuild a server every few months.

This package turns S3 + CloudFront into a public directory browser with icons, sorting, file sizes, timestamps, folder timestamps, canonical URLs, source-code display helpers, and optional event-driven indexes.

You do not need to run a server to publish useful software. Storage + events + small functions + CDN is enough.

How the super-fast version works

1. Upload a file

S3 stores the object and emits an event for the folder that changed.

2. Update the index

The updater Lambda writes .directory-index.json for the changed folder and its parents.

3. Render instantly

The viewer Lambda reads one small index file and renders the public listing with dates and sizes.

Included files

README.html — overview and deployment notes
QUICKSTART-FOR-BEGINNERS.html — beginner path
DEPLOYMENT-CHECKLIST.html — AWS setup checklist
TROUBLESHOOTING.html — common fixes
PACKAGE-NOTES.txt — version notes
lambda-edge-directory-browser/ — viewer Lambda source
s3-directory-index-updater/ — event-driven index updater
cloudfront-function-headers/ — optional inline source display headers

Who this is for

This is for builders, unemployed learners, independent artists, open-source publishers, teachers, archivists, and anyone who wants a reliable public file site without becoming a full-time server administrator.

It is intentionally practical: the goal is not to impress professional cloud architects. The goal is to help people publish high-quality work with fewer moving parts and fewer scary failure modes.

Folder dates without slowing visitors down

In the super-fast indexed mode, folder timestamps come from the prebuilt .directory-index.json files maintained by the S3 write/delete event updater Lambda. That means public visitors can see folder dates without forcing the viewer Lambda to perform extra S3 metadata lookups on every page view.

Live fallback mode stays simple and current. Indexed mode is where the beautiful folder dates, file dates, sizes, and fast rendering all come together.