Lesson 1: Create a private, local, dynamic website

In this lesson, you’ll learn:

  • How to create a private website on your local network that uses a web app to produce webpages

  • How to enable and select Python web apps

  • How to use a built-in Python web app as a default webpage

Step 1. Select Websites

  • Open the Server app to see the list of services available in OS X Server. Select Websites.

Step 2. Enable Python web apps

  • Select “Enable Python.”

    Arrow indicating Python setting

Step 3. Add a website

  • Click the Add button add.

    Enter the following information in the website creation pane:

    • Enter the server’s local host name—for example, “myserver.local.”

      This is the name that Safari users on your local network use to view the website.

    • Select the server’s local network IP address from the pop-up menu.

    • Leave the SSL certificate as “None.”

    Don’t click Create yet.

Step 4. Enable the sample Python web app to generate the webpages

  • Click Edit Advanced Settings, then select “Python ‘Hello World’ app at /wsgi.” Then click OK.

    Arrow indicating enabled web app

    Note: Once you get this working, you could add your own web apps written in Python.

Step 5. Make the Python page the default index page

  • Return to the website creation pane, and click Edit next to Index Files. Click the Add button , create an index called /wsgi and drag it to the top of the list, then click OK.

    Arrow indicating add button

Step 6. Create the site

  • After the configuration is finished, click Create to make the new site.

Step 7. Test your configuration

  • Open Safari and go to the site URL (myserver.local, in this lesson) to see the generated page.

Go to Lesson 2: Create a public, encrypted website.