zeroserve-script-create

Overview

Zeroserve is a high-performance, scriptable HTTP server that uses io_uring and eBPF. It serves a static website from a tarball, and optionally runs eBPF request scripts. It supports HTTP, HTTPS, hot reload, a small templating pass for text responses, and an opt-in reverse proxy from scripts.

This skill creates a Zeroserve request script in C from requirements, using the SDK helpers and eBPF constraints. Output is a single .c file ready to place under .zeroserve/scripts/. It includes JSON helper usage for parsing structured inputs from headers or params.

Basic zeroserve usage

Serve a prebuilt tarball:

zeroserve --addr 0.0.0.0:8080 site.tar

Package a directory into a tarball and serve it:

# Create a tarball from the current directory
zeroserve --pack . > site.tar

# Serve it
zeroserve --addr 0.0.0.0:8080 site.tar

Packaging a site: Zeroserve expects a tarball whose root corresponds to the site root. Use --pack to build one from a directory:

zeroserve --pack ./public > site.tar

Packaging notes:

• All regular files under the directory are added to the tarball.
• Request scripts live under .zeroserve/scripts/.
• Any .c file in .zeroserve/scripts/ is compiled to an .o eBPF object. The resulting .o is included in the tarball and the .c is omitted.
• If a .c and .o share the same name, the .o is skipped in favor of recompiling.
• Script compilation requires clang and llc on your PATH.

If you want the SDK header without packing:

zeroserve --dump-sdk > zeroserve.h

Workflow

1. Gather requirements
   • Trigger: path, method, header, query param, peer, or scheme.
   • Action: log, mutate URI/headers, set metadata, respond, or reverse proxy.
   • Short-circuit: confirm if the script should terminate the chain with zs_respond or zs_reverse_proxy.
2. Choose a base
   • Start from assets/script_template.c for a new script.
   • Keep the entry signature and ZS_ENTRY section if editing an existing script.
3. Implement logic
   • Read request data with zs_req_* helpers into fixed buffers; clamp lengths before use.
   • Use ZS_STR("literal") for helper calls needing (ptr, len) for string literals.
   • For JSON parsing, use zs_json_parse/zs_json_get/zs_json_array_get and zs_json_read_*, then free handles with zs_object_free (handle table is limited).
   • To parse the request body as JSON, use zs_req_body_json() which returns a handle (-1 on empty body, body > 256KB, or invalid JSON). The body is read lazily and cached.
   • To build JSON dynamically, use zs_json_new_object/zs_json_new_array and modify with zs_json_set, zs_json_array_push, zs_json_set_string, zs_json_set_i64, etc.
   • To send a JSON response, use zs_json_respond(status, handle) which auto-sets Content-Type.
   • To parse a static JSON file from the tarball, call zs_load_static_json(path, path_len) and treat the returned handle like any other JSON handle.
   • To read tarball entry metadata as JSON, call zs_load_file_metadata(path, path_len) and access size, etag, and mtime.
   • For response headers, set metadata keys zs.response.header.<name>.
   • To rate limit, use zs_rate_limit(key, key_len, per_second, per_minute, per_hour); it returns a result code indicating allowed or which limit was exceeded.
   • Call zs_respond, zs_json_respond, or zs_reverse_proxy to stop later scripts.
4. Validate eBPF constraints
   • Avoid unbounded loops and recursion.
   • Keep stack usage small (BPF stack is limited).
5. Deliver result
   • Provide the .c file and note it should live under .zeroserve/scripts/.
   • Remind that zeroserve --pack compiles .c to .o automatically.
   • If needed, dump the SDK header with zeroserve --dump-sdk to inspect the full API.

References

• references/sdk_api.md for the SDK helper list and notes.
• references/scripting_behavior.md for execution order, short-circuit rules, and packaging.
• references/examples.md for common patterns (logging, health response, reverse proxy, templating).
• assets/script_template.c for a starter skeleton.