A simple HTTP proxy for speedy static file serving, sending dynamic requests to a backend web server.

gistfile1.js

/**
 * A proxy for loading static files in development. Django doesn't handle this well.
 *
 * To run, do something like:
 *   npm install .
 *   node proxy.js --docroot=$PWD
 *
 * Then just visit http://localhost:9000/ as you normally would.
 */
var httpProxy = require('http-proxy');
var http = require('http');
var url = require('url');
var fs = require('fs');
var mime = require('mime');
var argv = require('optimist')
  .usage('Usage: $0 --port=[port] --server=[backing_server_url] --docroot=[repo_dir]')
  .string(['docroot'])
  .demand(['docroot'])
  .argv;

var port = argv.port || 9000;
var proxy = httpProxy.createProxyServer();
var isStatic = new RegExp(/\/static\/(.*)/);

var server = http.createServer(function (req, res) {
  var u = url.parse(req.url);
  var match = isStatic.exec(u.pathname)
  if (match) {
    console.log('loading file at html/static/' + match[1]);
    var path = argv.docroot + '/html/static/' + match[1];
    fs.exists(path, function (exists) {
      if (exists) {
        res.setHeader('Content-Type', mime.lookup(path));
        fs.createReadStream(path, 'utf8').pipe(res);
      } else {
        res.statusCode = 404;
        res.end();
      }
    });
  } else {
    proxy.web(req, res, {
      target: (argv.backing_server || "http://localhost:8000")
    });
  }
});

console.log('listening at port http://localhost:' + port + '/');
server.listen(port);