---
name: "wn"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "wn"
version: "2.2.9-2"
release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/wn/8"
---

# wn(8)

server for the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

## NAME

wn - server for the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

## DESCRIPTION

**wn** is a server for the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).  Its primary design goals are security and functionality usually available only with complex CGI scripts without the necessity of writing or using these scripts.  This includes extensive security checks, full text searching and conditionally served text.

Despite this extensive functionality the **wn** executable is substantially smaller than the CERN or NCSA servers. Both a stand-alone daemon [**wnsd**(8)](/wnsd/8.md) and a version [**wnd**(8)](/wnd/8.md) intended for use under [**inetd**(8)](/inetd/8.md) are provided.  The [**inetd**(8)](/inetd/8.md) version is designed to minimize the use of system resources and it is appropriate for moderate or lightly loaded servers which cannot be totally dedicated to Web serving.

The **wn** security model is based on the use of a small flat database in each directory with information about the files in that directory.  Fields associated with a file include its title, and may include keywords, expiration date and any user defined fields like author or document id.  Unlike other servers, the default action for **wn** is to deny access to a file.  A file can only be served if explicit permission to do so has been granted by entering it in this database.

There is extensive documentation on **wn** mainly in HTML format in **http:/doc/wn/index.html** page.  There are also [**man**(1)](/man/1.md) pages on most components.

The **wn** package is organized into the following components:

- **DAEMONS**

  The actual HTTP servers.

- **SERVER UTILITIES**

  Programs to assist in the maintenance of a server.

- **HTML UTILITES**

  Programs to assist in the construction of HTML documents.

- **CGI PROGRAMS**

  Programs to provide additional capabilites to the basic server.

## DAEMONS

- [**wnd**(8)](/wnd/8.md)

  The [**inetd**(8)](/inetd/8.md) based daemon.

- [**wnsd**(8)](/wnsd/8.md)

  The stand-alone daemon.

## SERVER UTILITES

- [**wn\_md5passwd**(8)](/wn_md5passwd/8.md)

  Create and manage MD5 password files for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wn\_mkpasswd**(8)](/wn_mkpasswd/8.md)

  Create and manage DES password files for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wn\_uncache**(1)](/wn_uncache/1.md)

  Decompile access control file for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wnconfig**(8)](/wnconfig/8.md)

  Simple Debian specific run-time configuration of **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wndex**(1)](/wndex/1.md)

  Create access control file for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wnupdatewww**(8)](/wnupdatewww/8.md)

  Debian specific utility to enable access to standard directories through **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wnv2c**(8)](/wnv2c/8.md)

  Convert logfile for **wn** HTTP server.

## HTML UTILITES

- [**wn\_mkdigest**(1)](/wn_mkdigest/1.md)

  Produce HTML links to document sections for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wnindexmaker**(1)](/wnindexmaker/1.md)

  Produce index to a set of HTML files for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wnpnuts**(1)](/wnpnuts/1.md)

  Produce navigation links to a set of HTML files for **wn** HTTP server.

## CGI PROGRAMS

- [**wnauth**(3)](/wnauth/3.md)

  CGI program for Basic authorization for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wncat**(3)](/wncat/3.md)

  Debian specific File-Module and CGI program for listing (un)compressed files for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wnhtmlify**(3)](/wnhtmlify/3.md)

  Produce simple HTML document from text for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wnredir**(3)](/wnredir/3.md)

  CGI program for redirecting to a new URL for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wnsectsearch**(3)](/wnsectsearch/3.md)

  CGI program for searching files for sections for **wn** HTTP server.

- [**wnseven\_m**(3)](/wnseven_m/3.md)

  CGI program for searching files for sections for **wn** HTTP server.

## FILES

- */etc/wn/wn.conf*

  Main Debian specific configuration file for [**wn**(1)](/wn/1.md) package.

- */etc/wn/wn.rc*

  Debian specific [**sh**(1)](/sh/1.md) wrapper program to start [**wn**(1)](/wn/1.md) daemon with proper options.

- */etc/init.d/wn*

  Debian specific [**sh**(1)](/sh/1.md) program to start **wnsd** stand-alone daemon from [**init**(8)](/init/8.md) process.

- */etc/cron.daily/wn*

  Debian specific [**sh**(1)](/sh/1.md) program to re-index standard documentation directories.  It is run daily by the [**cron**(8)](/cron/8.md) daemon.

## SEE ALSO

[**wn\_mkdigest**(1)](/wn_mkdigest/1.md), [**wn\_uncache**(1)](/wn_uncache/1.md), [**wndex**(1)](/wndex/1.md), [**wnindexmaker**(1)](/wnindexmaker/1.md), [**wnpnuts**(1)](/wnpnuts/1.md), [**wnauth**(3)](/wnauth/3.md), [**wncat**(3)](/wncat/3.md), [**wnhtmlify**(3)](/wnhtmlify/3.md), [**wnredir**(3)](/wnredir/3.md), [**wnsectsearch**(3)](/wnsectsearch/3.md), [**wnseven\_m**(3)](/wnseven_m/3.md), [**wn\_md5passwd**(8)](/wn_md5passwd/8.md), [**wn\_mkpasswd**(8)](/wn_mkpasswd/8.md), [**wnconfig**(8)](/wnconfig/8.md), [**wnd**(8)](/wnd/8.md), [**wnsd**(8)](/wnsd/8.md), [**wnupdatewww**(8)](/wnupdatewww/8.md), [**wnv2c**(8)](/wnv2c/8.md)\
 **http:/doc/wn/manual.html**\
 **http://hopf.math.nwu.edu/**

## AUTHOR

**wn** is written by John Franks \<john@math.nwu.edu\>.  Modified by Jean Pierre LeJacq \<jplejacq@quoininc.com\> as part of packaging for the Debian GNU/Linux distribution. Manual page also added by Jean Pierre LeJacq.