# Static file handling

## Individual file

It is possible to serve static files with a custom path pattern and `NamedFile`. To
match a path tail, we can use a `[.*]` regex.

```rust
# extern crate actix_web;
use std::path::PathBuf;
use actix_web::{App, HttpRequest, Result, http::Method, fs::NamedFile};

fn index(req: HttpRequest) -> Result<NamedFile> {
    let path: PathBuf = req.match_info().query("tail")?;
    Ok(NamedFile::open(path)?)
}

fn main() {
    App::new()
        .resource(r"/a/{tail:.*}", |r| r.method(Method::GET).f(index))
        .finish();
}
```

## Directory

To serve files from specific directories and sub-directories, `StaticFiles` can be used.
`StaticFiles` must be registered with an `App::handler()` method, otherwise
it will be unable to serve sub-paths.

```rust
# extern crate actix_web;
use actix_web::*;

fn main() {
    App::new()
        .handler("/static", fs::StaticFiles::new(".", true))
        .finish();
}
```

The first parameter is the base directory. If the second parameter, *show_index*, is set to **true**,
the directory listing will be returned, and if it is set to **false**,
*404 Not Found* will be returned.

Instead of showing files listing for directory, it is possible to redirect to a specific
index file. Use the
[*StaticFiles::index_file()*](../actix_web/s/struct.StaticFiles.html#method.index_file)
method to configure this redirect.