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Comment by babuskov | Hacker News Reader

I don't get it. You create a server to solve C10K problem, and then host its own website with nginx? Why?

Having HN crowd coming and testing your server would be a great test, no?

From the footer:

> It was created in 2011 by Timothy E. Johansson and is the base for the send-API and the tracking server for AlphaMail.

> It also powers this website (though behind nginx). You can reach it directly on port 88: shortfin.io:88

I read that. But why?

What's the point in using this if you're going to have nginx in front?

I suppose he is hosting other stuff too, and nginx proxies.

I host more websites on the same server and as kajecounterhack said I'm using nginx as a reverse proxy. The server is fast and have no problems at all with the HM crowd ;)

What are advantages over nginx? Memory footprint, higher through-output?

I mean, what's the main "selling point". Why should one use this instead of battle tested nginx?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing, I'm just curious.

On my tests it's a few 100 requests faster per second than nginx but the average should be around the same. The kernel is the bottleneck in this case I believe.

There isn't any "selling point" ;) Anyone could use it as they like. The main usage for me has been in other projects where I needed a fast and lightweight http server. Such as tracking servers etc. It's pretty "experimental" but I think I will use the "original" server to serve a web app that I will be launching soon. The problem for me has been the lack of a reverse proxy.

But why do you need reverse proxy at all if your server is as good as Nginx? And if the speed is comparable and Nginx has more features why did you write your server then?

I've never stated that it was as good as nginx?

The answer to "why" is answered in these comments:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6168052 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6168541

If I understand, it's "lighter" than Nginx. Why not writing how much lighter and in which aspects? Of course I can compare the code bases, but you know exactly as you wrote yours, so it would be really nice if you'd write what you know. Thanks.

I think in this case nginx is being used as a reverse proxy.

The actual site is down for me too, http://shortfin.io:88/

The link works fine for me.

Work firewall, duh, sorry.

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