Anvil

Anvil provides a lightweight local server that can host both static files and Rack‑compatible web applications, exposing them through straightforward, human‑readable URLs. It is designed for developers who need a quick way to preview sites or test Rack middleware without configuring a full web server or dealing with complex routing rules. By handling the basics of HTTP serving and URL mapping internally, it removes the need for manual port forwarding or custom DNS entries during local development.

The utility targets anyone working on web projects that involve static assets—such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript—or Ruby‑based Rack applications, offering a single command‑line interface to launch the service. Its simplicity makes it suitable for rapid prototyping, debugging, and educational environments where ease of use is paramount.

Anvil is distributed as freeware and is marked as stable, indicating a mature codebase that can be relied upon for everyday development tasks without licensing concerns.