# SERVER INFORMATION

Hostname:

gopher.kgivler.com


Protocol:

Gopher


Port:

TCP 70


Server software:

HappyGopher


Runtime:

..NET 10


Operating system:

Ubuntu Linux host with a Linux container


Service manager:

Docker Compose


Host deployment directory:

/opt/joyful-stack


Container application directory:

/app


Host content directory:

/var/lib/happygopher/content


Container content directory:

/app/content


Container user:

Non-root .NET application user


Transport security:

None. Standard Gopher traffic is sent in plaintext.


# ABOUT THE SERVER

This gopherhole is served by HappyGopher, a small Gopher server written
by Kyle Givler in C# and .NET.

HappyGopher began as an experiment in implementing the Gopher protocol
with a direct TCP listener. It has since grown into the software
powering this site and part of a larger collection of classic Internet
protocol services.

The server supports:

* Custom gophermap files
* Automatic directory menus
* Text, image, and binary content
* Exact-selector compiled dynamic pages
* Request timeouts
* Selector size limits
* Concurrent connection limits
* Graceful shutdown
* Mission Control telemetry

Dynamic pages are resolved before static filesystem content. The first
built-in example is available at:

/server-time

It returns the current server time in UTC as a Gopher text response.

HappyGopher uses a reusable response writer for CRLF line endings,
dot-stuffing, menu formatting, field sanitization, errors, and response
termination.

Requested selectors are normalized and checked to prevent directory
traversal. Symbolic links and other filesystem reparse points are
rejected when serving content.


# DEPLOYMENT

HappyGopher runs in a Docker container as part of the joyful-stack
Docker Compose deployment.

The container listens on TCP port 70 and publishes the same port on the
VPS.

The container runs as a non-root user. Linux capabilities are dropped
except for NET_BIND_SERVICE, which is required to bind the traditional
privileged Gopher port.

Production content is mounted read-only from:

/var/lib/happygopher/content

to:

/app/content

This host mount replaces the sample content bundled in the container
image. Production gophermap and text files are therefore maintained
separately on the VPS.

HappyGopher publishes best-effort startup and selector telemetry to
Mission Control. Telemetry failures do not prevent the server from
continuing to serve Gopher requests.


# RELATED SERVICES

This VPS also hosts several other public classic protocol services:

* HappyEcho      echo.kgivler.com       TCP 7
* HappyDiscard   discard.kgivler.com    TCP 9
* HappyDaytime   daytime.kgivler.com    TCP 13
* HappyQOTD      qotd.kgivler.com       TCP 17
* HappyFinger    finger.kgivler.com     TCP 79

A fuller service list is available from this gopherhole in:

services.txt


# SOURCE CODE

https://github.com/JoyfulReaper/HappyGopher

HappyGopher is licensed under the MIT License.

Copyright 2026 Kyle Givler
.