Mongoose web server executable is self-sufficient, it does not depend on anything to start serving requests. If it is copied to any directory and executed, it starts to serve that directory on port 8080 . If some additional configuration is required - for example, different listening port or IP-based access control, then a "mongoose.conf" file with respective options can be created in the same directory where executable lives. This makes Mongoose perfect for all sorts of demos, quick tests, file sharing, and Web programming.