# Create static website

To discover whether your Object Storage system supports this feature, see Discoverability. Alternatively, check with your service provider.

You can use your Object Storage account to create a static website. This static website is created with Static Web middleware and serves container data with a specified index file, error file resolution, and optional file listings. This mode is normally active only for anonymous requests, which provide no authentication token. To use it with authenticated requests, set the header `X-Web-Mode` to `TRUE` on the request.

The Static Web filter must be added to the pipeline in your `/etc/swift/proxy-server.conf` file below any authentication middleware. You must also add a Static Web middleware configuration section.

Your publicly readable containers are checked for two headers, `X-Container-Meta-Web-Index` and `X-Container-Meta-Web-Error`. The `X-Container-Meta-Web-Error` header is discussed below, in the section called Set error pages for static website.

Use `X-Container-Meta-Web-Index` to determine the index file (or default page served, such as `index.html`) for your website. When someone initially enters your site, the `index.html` file displays automatically. If you create sub-directories for your site by creating pseudo-directories in your container, the index page for each sub-directory is displayed by default. If your pseudo-directory does not have a file with the same name as your index file, visits to the sub-directory return a 404 error.

You also have the option of displaying a list of files in your pseudo-directory instead of a web page. To do this, set the `X-Container-Meta-Web-Listings` header to `TRUE`. You may add styles to your file listing by setting `X-Container-Meta-Web-Listings-CSS` to a style sheet (for example, `lists.css`).

## Static Web middleware through Object Storage

The following sections show how to use Static Web middleware through Object Storage.

### Make container publicly readable

Make the container publicly readable. Once the container is publicly readable, you can access your objects directly, but you must set the index file to browse the main site URL and its sub-directories.

    $ swift post -r '.r:*,.rlistings' container

### Set site index file

Set the index file. In this case, `index.html` is the default file displayed when the site appears.

    $ swift post -m 'web-index:index.html' container

### Enable file listing

Turn on file listing. If you do not set the index file, the URL displays a list of the objects in the container. Instructions on styling the list with a CSS follow.

    $ swift post -m 'web-listings: true' container

### Enable CSS for file listing

Style the file listing using a CSS.

    $ swift post -m 'web-listings-css:listings.css' container

### Set error pages for static website

You can create and set custom error pages for visitors to your website; currently, only 401 (Unauthorized) and 404 (Not Found) errors are supported. To do this, set the metadata header, `X-Container-Meta-Web-Error`.

Error pages are served with the status code pre-pended to the name of the error page you set. For instance, if you set `X-Container-Meta-Web-Error` to `error.html`, 401 errors will display the page `401error.html`. Similarly, 404 errors will display `404error.html`. You must have both of these pages created in your container when you set the `X-Container-Meta-Web-Error` metadata, or your site will display generic error pages.

You only have to set the `X-Container-Meta-Web-Error` metadata once for your entire static website.

### Set error pages for static website request

    $ swift post -m 'web-error:error.html' container

Any 2`nn` response indicates success.

this page last updated: 2026-08-18 20:34:00

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