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2026-03-055 min read

Create and View a Website (Python Programming)

Learn Create and View a Website (Python Programming) step by step with clear examples and exercises.

Why This Matters

today, having a basic understanding of creating websites is essential for various reasons. It allows you to build your own online presence, showcase your projects, or even start a personal blog. Moreover, it can be a valuable skill during job interviews and help you troubleshoot web-related issues.

Prerequisites

Before diving into creating a website using Python, it is crucial to have a good understanding of the following:

  1. Basic Python syntax and data structures (variables, loops, functions)
  2. HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) for structuring web pages
  3. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) for styling web pages
  4. Familiarity with a text editor or Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to write and save your Python scripts and HTML files

Core Concept

To create a website using Python, we will use the built-in SimpleHTTPServer library. This module allows us to serve HTML files locally without setting up a web server.

Setting Up the Environment

First, open your terminal or command prompt and navigate to the directory where you want to create your web project. Then, create a new folder for your project:

mkdir my_website
cd my_website

Next, create an index.html file in this newly created folder with some basic HTML content:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>My First Website</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to My First Website!</h1>
<p>This is a simple webpage created using Python and HTML.</p>
</body>
</html>

Now, open a new Python file in the same directory called server.py. We will use this script to serve our HTML file:

import SimpleHTTPServer
import SocketServer

PORT = 8000
Handler = SimpleHTTPServer.SimpleHTTPRequestHandler
httpd = SocketServer.TCPServer(("", PORT), Handler)
print(f"Serving on port {PORT}")
httpd.serve_forever()

This script starts a simple HTTP server that serves our index.html file on port 8000.

Running the Server and Viewing the Website

To run the server, execute the following command in your terminal or command prompt:

python server.py

Once the server is running, open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost:8000. You should see your website displayed on the screen!

Worked Example

Let's create a more complex example by adding some CSS styling to our HTML file:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>My First Website</title>
<style>
body {
background-color: #f0f8ff;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}
h1 {
color: #4a86e8;
text-align: center;
margin-top: 50px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to My First Website!</h1>
<p>This is a simple webpage created using Python and HTML with some CSS styling.</p>
</body>
</html>

Save this updated index.html file, restart the server by running python server.py, and refresh your browser to see the changes.

Common Mistakes

  1. Forgetting to save the HTML file: Make sure you save both the server.py and index.html files after making any changes.
  2. Incorrect port number: The server is set to run on port 8000 by default. If you change this value in the server.py script, make sure to update it in your browser as well.
  3. Incorrect path to HTML file: Ensure that the index.html file is located in the same directory as the server.py file.
  4. Not restarting the server after changes: After making changes to either the index.html or server.py files, you need to restart the server for those changes to take effect.
  5. Incorrect syntax in HTML or CSS: Double-check your HTML and CSS code for any errors that might prevent the webpage from displaying correctly.
  6. Not closing the HTML tags properly: Make sure all your HTML tags are closed correctly, such as `, , `, etc.
  7. Using unsupported HTML or CSS features: Some advanced HTML and CSS features may not be supported by older browsers or basic Python-based web servers like the one we're using in this tutorial.

Practice Questions

  1. Modify the HTML and CSS in your index.html file to create a webpage with a different layout and styling, including images, links, and other interactive elements.
  2. Create additional HTML files (e.g., about.html, contact.html) and serve them alongside your main page using the same Python script.
  3. Experiment with different CSS properties to customize the look of your website, such as changing colors, fonts, and layouts.
  4. Add interactivity to your webpage by implementing JavaScript or jQuery, if desired.
  5. Research other Python libraries for creating dynamic websites, such as Flask and Django, and compare their features and use cases.

FAQ

  1. Can I use other web frameworks with Python, like Flask or Django?

Yes! While SimpleHTTPServer is a simple solution for serving static HTML files, more complex web applications typically use dedicated web frameworks such as Flask and Django.

  1. What happens when I close the terminal or command prompt running the server script?

When you close the terminal or command prompt, the server will also stop running. To keep the server running indefinitely, you can open the terminal or command prompt in a separate window or use a tool like tmux or screen.

  1. Can I serve dynamic content with Python using this method?

No, SimpleHTTPServer is designed for serving static files only. For dynamic content, you'll need to use a web framework like Flask or Django.

  1. Why does the browser display "localhost" instead of the actual IP address when accessing my website?

Localhost is a special hostname that refers to your local computer. When you run a server on your machine, it's accessible only from that same machine, so using localhost is the standard way to access it. If you need to access your website from another device on the same network, you can find its IP address and use that instead of localhost.

  1. Can I run multiple instances of the server simultaneously?

Yes! To run multiple instances of the server, simply open a new terminal or command prompt window and navigate to your web project directory. Then, execute the python server.py command again with a different port number (e.g., 8001). Repeat this process for as many instances as needed.

  1. Is it possible to secure my local website using HTTPS?

While it's not necessary for a simple local website, you can use tools like certbot or mkcert to generate and install SSL certificates for your website. This will allow you to access your website using HTTPS instead of HTTP. Keep in mind that this requires additional setup and may not be suitable for beginners.

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