whp-default-container/README.md

Web Server Container with Auto-Landing Page

This Docker container provides a web server that automatically checks for content in the web directory and provides a beautiful default landing page if none exists.

Features

• Auto-Detection: Checks if the web directory (/usr/local/apache2/htdocs) is empty on startup
• Default Landing Page: Automatically copies a modern, responsive landing page if no content exists
• Non-Destructive: Only copies the default page if the directory is truly empty
• Apache Web Server: Based on the official httpd:alpine image for lightweight performance

How It Works

1. Startup Check: When the container starts, it runs a startup script that:

   • Checks if the web directory exists (creates it if needed)
   • Determines if the directory is empty (ignoring hidden files)
   • Copies the default index.html if no content is found

2. Web Server: After the check, Apache starts normally and serves content from the web directory

3. Persistence: If you mount a volume with existing content, the default page won't be copied

Usage

Basic Usage

# Build the container
docker build -t my-web-server .

# Run the container
docker run -p 80:80 my-web-server

With Volume Mount (for persistent content)

# Mount a local directory to preserve your content
docker run -p 80:80 -v /path/to/your/web/content:/usr/local/apache2/htdocs my-web-server

With Custom Port

# Run on a different port
docker run -p 8080:80 my-web-server

File Structure

.
├── Dockerfile          # Container definition
├── index.html          # Default landing page (beautiful, responsive)
├── scripts/
│   └── startup.sh      # Startup script that handles the logic
└── README.md           # This file

Customization

Modifying the Default Landing Page

Edit the index.html file before building the container. The page includes:

• Modern gradient background
• Responsive design
• Feature cards
• Smooth animations
• Mobile-friendly layout

Modifying the Startup Logic

Edit scripts/startup.sh to change:

• Web directory path
• File detection logic
• Additional initialization steps

Container Details

• Base Image: httpd:alpine (lightweight Apache server)
• Web Directory: /usr/local/apache2/htdocs
• Default Port: 80
• Entrypoint: /startup.sh

Troubleshooting

Container Won't Start

• Check that scripts/startup.sh is executable: chmod +x scripts/startup.sh
• Verify the Dockerfile syntax: docker build -t test .

Default Page Not Appearing

• Check container logs: docker logs <container_name>
• Verify the web directory is actually empty
• Ensure no volume is mounted that contains files

Permission Issues

• The container runs as the default Apache user
• If mounting volumes, ensure proper permissions: chmod 755 /path/to/web/content