Assembly Webserver

A simple HTTP webserver written entirely in x86-64 assembly language that responds with a JSON message.

Description

This project implements a basic HTTP server in pure assembly language using Linux system calls. The server listens on port 8080 and responds to all requests with a JSON message: {"message":"Welcome to the Assembly Server!"}.

Architecture

The server uses the following Linux system calls:

• socket() - Creates a TCP socket
• bind() - Binds the socket to a local address and port
• listen() - Puts the socket in listening mode
• accept() - Accepts incoming connections
• write() - Sends HTTP response to clients
• close() - Closes client connections

Key Features

• Pure x86-64 assembly implementation
• HTTP/1.1 compliant responses
• JSON response body
• Proper Content-Length header
• Continuous operation (accepts multiple connections)

Prerequisites

• Linux system with x86-64 architecture
• NASM (Netwide Assembler)
• GNU linker (ld) - Usually comes with GCC installation
• Podman or Docker (for containerized execution)

Building and Running

Method 1: Native Compilation (Linux)

1. Install NASM

2. Assemble and link the server:

   nasm -f elf64 server.asm -o server.o
   ld server.o -o server
   chmod +x server

3. Run the server (requires root to bind to port 8080):

   sudo ./server

Method 2: Containerized Execution with Docker/Podman

1. Build the container:

   podman build -t asm-webserver .

2. Compile the server in the container:

   podman run -it --rm -v $(pwd):/workspace asm-webserver sh -c "nasm -f elf64 server.asm -o server.o && ld server.o -o server && chmod +x server"

3. Run the server:

   podman run -d --name asm-server -v $(pwd):/workspace -w /workspace -p 8080:8080 asm-webserver sh -c "./server"

Method 3: Using Docker Compose (Easiest)

1. Make sure you have Docker or Podman with docker-compose installed

2. Run the server with a single command:

   docker-compose up

   Or with Podman:

   podman-compose up

   Note: If using Podman, you may need to install podman-docker compatibility layer.

Testing

Once the server is running, test it with curl:

curl http://localhost:8080

Expected response:

{"message":"Welcome to the Assembly Server!"}

Or use a browser to navigate to http://localhost:8080