In today’s cloud-driven world, web servers are the backbone of nearly every service we use. But managing them? That can be a whole different challenge—especially when you need a solution that’s both cloud-native and easy to deploy across environments. Enter Hammy: an open-source project designed to simplify web server management in containerized setups, built to run effortlessly on Docker or Kubernetes.

Why Hammy Exists#

Hammy was born out of a real need for a lightweight, cloud-native server that could seamlessly integrate into Kubernetes and Docker without the usual setup complexities. I wanted a modern, customizable solution that offered just the right level of flexibility—no bloat, just a streamlined server ready to deploy.

The Vision Behind Hammy#

The core mission with Hammy is to make server management accessible, scalable, and perfectly in line with cloud-native principles. Hammy keeps things simple while providing the power developers need:

  • Simplicity: Easy to deploy, manage, and scale.
  • Cloud-Native: Built with Kubernetes and Docker in mind, Hammy is optimized for containerized infrastructures.
  • Developer-Friendly: Minimal configuration, customizable settings, and designed with developers’ needs front and center.

Core Features of Hammy#

  1. Docker & Kubernetes Ready: Hammy offers out-of-the-box support for containerized environments.
  2. Lightweight Architecture: Hammy’s lightweight design means it operates effectively without consuming excessive resources, ideal for cloud-native deployments.
  3. Open-Source Community: Being an open-source project hosted on GitHub, Hammy is driven by community contributions, bringing in improvements and features from developers around the world.

Why Hammy is Built in Go (And Why That’s a Game-Changer)#

Choosing a language to build Hammy was key, and Go (Golang) was the obvious choice for a few solid reasons. Known for its efficiency and support for concurrency, Go aligns perfectly with Hammy’s mission to be both powerful and lightweight:

  1. Speed and Efficiency: Go’s streamlined memory management is ideal for Hammy’s fast, responsive design. It starts quickly and runs efficiently, even in resource-limited environments.
  2. Concurrent Scalability: Go’s concurrency model, with goroutines and channels, allows Hammy to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. This design keeps Hammy reliable and performant even under heavy demand.
  3. Accessible and Open-Source Friendly: Go’s simple, readable syntax makes it easy for developers to dive in and contribute to Hammy, which is a huge plus for an open-source project.

Getting Started with Hammy#

Deploying Hammy is straightforward, with quick commands for various environments:

  1. On Docker

    docker run -p 9090:9090 go-hammy/hammy

  2. On Docker Compose

    curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/go-hammy/hammy/main/examples/docker-compose.yaml
docker compose up

  3. On Kubernetes

    kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/go-hammy/hammy/main/examples/kubernetes.yaml

  4. Directly from Go

    git clone https://github.com/go-hammy/hammy.git
cd hammy
go build -o hammy-server
./hammy-server

Hammy’s Deployment Considerations#

While Hammy is designed for maximum flexibility, running it behind a cloud-based reverse proxy is optimal, especially in Kubernetes environments. This setup not only keeps Hammy fast and lightweight but enhances security as well. By default, Hammy uses port 9090 rather than the standard port 80, underscoring the importance of routing through a reverse proxy for SSL termination and improved performance.

What’s Next for Hammy?#

I’m continually working to expand Hammy’s functionality, aiming to add logging and extended protocol support. Since it’s open-source, contributions are always welcome, whether it’s in adding new features, improving the documentation, or finding new ways to use Hammy in real-world applications.

Hammy was built to make managing cloud-native web servers not just easier, but actually enjoyable. Whether you’re setting up a single app or preparing to scale, Hammy is ready to make your journey smoother. Explore Hammy’s full capabilities on the official site at gohammy.org and see how it can streamline your cloud-native setups!