brennan / simple-windows-hosting.md

1. Get yr site files ready ``` mkdir C:\sites\skaia-library ``` Drop yr `index.html` in there. 2. Install Caddy Easiest is `scoop install caddy` with https://scoop.sh/, or grab the binary directly from caddyserver.com/download. No need for the caddy_windows_amd64.exe build with plugins. 3. Caddyfile Since Cloudflare Tunnel will handle the public-facing TLS, Caddy only needs to serve locally, so no need for its automatic HTTPS: ``` :8080 { root * C:\sites\skaia-library file_server } ``` Run it from that directory: `caddy run --config Caddyfile` 4. Install cloudflared `winget install --id Cloudflare.cloudflared -e` (or grab the .exe from the cloudflared GitHub releases page). 5. Authenticate Run `cloudflared tunnel login` in the cmd. This will pop up a browser window, log in and pick the zone (domain) you want to authorize. 6. Create the tunnel `cloudflared tunnel create skaia-tunnel` This will generate a tunnel UUID and drops a credentials JSON in `%USERPROFILE%\.cloudflared\`. 7. Route a hostname to it `cloudflared tunnel route dns mysite-tunnel sub.skaia-library.xyz` This will create the CNAME in Cloudflare DNS pointing at `<UUID>.cfargotunnel.com`. 8. Create the config file at `%USERPROFILE%\.cloudflared\config.yml`: ``` yamltunnel: skaia-tunnel credentials-file: C:\Users\YOURNAME\.cloudflared\<UUID>.json ingress: - hostname: sub.skaia-library.xyz service: http://localhost:8080 - service: http_status:404 ``` 9. Run it! `cloudflared tunnel run skaia-tunnel` Site should now be live at `sub.skaia-library.xyz`, proxied through Cloudflare. 10. Make it persistent `cloudflared service install` registers cloudflared as a Windows service using that config.yml which means it'll survive reboots. Caddy doesn't have a built-in Windows service installer, it will need to run with Task Scheduler at logon/startup, or use NSSM (nssm install caddy) to wrap it as a proper service. https://nssm.cc/