Ask HN: Best way to input data to a RasPi, from browsers on the same LAN?

If you want to have a preprocessing step, then you need an API to take the commands, process them, run them, and then return the output. If you want to stream the output, you should look into something like websockets. There are also libraries built specifically for streaming logs to the browser, e.g. [0]

But might I suggest a simpler approach? How about a JS terminal emulator that is SSHed into the raspberry pi? I've used a library called "wetty" [1] successfully in the past. It's a node server + JS terminal emulator (based on hterm, used in chromebooks). The node server SSH's into the target box on behalf of the client, and then forwards the tty over the link `client <-> server <-> ssh <-> target`. All you need to do is install the node server on the pi and have it SSH into localhost.

[0] https://github.com/mthenw/frontail

[1] https://github.com/krishnasrinivas/wetty

I haven't personally tried it on raspi yet since I don't have one, but I invite you to give this a try

If I understand correctly you should be able to run the arm7 static build directly

You can find the docs here at https://docs.dapt.in

There is a nice dashboard accessible over the web which you can completely protect after signing up on it. Daptin is completely standalone and can work offline (doesn't load any asset from internet as such, everything is packed in). You can reach me out via my github profile.

[1] https://github.com/daptin/daptin/releases/tag/v0.6.8

edit:

a little bit more details of how you would build what you asked

- create a subsite exposing html form

- use js to call daptin api

- daptin creates a sqlite db (unless configured otherwise)

- share subsite address with users

- take dump from admin dashboard

If you want to host it on the lan just play with IPtables to get your port through and host a little web server. Shouldn't be too complicated. Look in to gunicorn for a production capable flask server. I have used Monit to keep gunicorn alive as a second line of defense. You could use init instead if you prefer.

If this is over your head let me know and I can break it down to more detail.

https://github.com/h-c-c/IOT-LAMP

I set up a 'util' feed for system commands and have implemented a shutdown routine so far. I send my lamp commands with Google Assistant through IFTTT.

https://github.com/dddomodossola/remi/blob/master/README.md

it has a terminal you can remotely run anything.