roadmap.md

HTTP Server Roadmap

Step 1: Define a Request struct

Create a struct to hold: Method, Path, Version, Headers (map), Body

Step 2: Build the parser function

Takes raw bytes []byte, returns a Request struct:

• Find \r\n\r\n to split headers from body
• Split headers section by \r\n into lines
• First line: split by space → method, path, version
• Remaining lines: split by first : → populate headers map
• Body = everything after \r\n\r\n

Step 3: Handle incomplete reads

Your current single conn.Read() might not get the full request. You need to:

• Read in a loop
• Check if you've found \r\n\r\n
• If Content-Length header exists, keep reading until you have that many body bytes

Step 4: Build a Response writer

A function that takes a conn, status code, headers, and body, then writes a properly formatted HTTP response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK\r\n
Content-Length: 13\r\n
Content-Type: text/plain\r\n
\r\n
Hello, World!

Step 5: Build a router

A map of path → handler function. Parse the request path, look it up in the map, call the matching handler or return 404.

Step 6: Wire it together

In handleConn: parse request → route → call handler → write response

Start with Step 1 and 2, get a simple GET / returning "Hello World" working before adding complexity.