Web Server Google Cloud

Web servers are essential for hosting websites and serving web content to users. In this article, we will explore how to set up a web server using Google Cloud and Cloud Shell. Whether you’re a beginner or have some experience with web development, this guide will help you get started quickly.

Setting Up the Web Server

To begin, activate your Cloud Shell. This powerful command-line tool allows you to manage your Google Cloud resources easily. Once activated, we can proceed to set up our web server.

We will be using Node.js, a popular runtime environment for building server-side applications. Copy and paste the following code into your Cloud Shell:

const http = require('http');

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
  res.statusCode = 200;
  res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
  res.end('Hello, World! I'm using Cloud Shelln');
});

const port = 8080;

server.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server running at http://localhost:${port}/`);
});

This code creates a simple web server that listens on port 8080 and responds with a “Hello, World!” message. By running this code, we can start our web server on the Cloud Shell.

Starting the Web Server

To start the web server, run the following command in your Cloud Shell:

node <filename>.js

Replace <filename> with the name of the file where you saved the code. Once the server starts, you’ll see a message indicating that it is running at http://localhost:8080/.

Previewing the Website

Now that our web server is up and running, we can preview our website. In the Cloud Shell toolbar, click on the “Web preview” button. A new tab will automatically open, displaying your web page.

By default, the web preview uses port 8080. If you changed the port in your code, make sure to select the corresponding port in the web preview. You can explore your website and see the “Hello, World!” message displayed.

To demonstrate real-time updates, let’s modify the code to display a different message. Change the line res.end('Hello, World! I'm using Cloud Shelln'); to res.end('Hello, World, I'm using Cloud Shell');.

Save the changes and restart your server by running the command node <filename>.js again. Refresh the web preview, and you’ll see the updated message.

Conclusion

Setting up a web server with Google Cloud and Cloud Shell is a straightforward process. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can quickly create and host your own websites. Remember to adapt the code and configurations to meet your specific requirements.

Now that you have a better understanding of how to use Google Cloud as a web server, you can explore more advanced features and deploy your web applications to a production environment. Happy coding!