Turning folders into web pages with Python

For the prototyping class on 10 February 2026 in the context of SI29.

Gallery example

1. Install uv

(if you don't have uv already)

https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/

$ curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

2. Initialize project

$ uv init gallery

3. Prepare an assets folder

$ mkdir assets

4. Put some files in the assets folder

Just copy and paste!

5. Work on main.py

from glob import glob
from jinja2 import Template

def main():
    assets = glob('assets/*')

    with open('template.html','r') as f:
        html_template = f.read()

    jinja_template = Template(html_template)
    output = jinja_template.render(assets=assets)

    with open('index.html', 'w') as f:
        f.write(output)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

6. Work on your template.html

<style>
img {
  max-width: 200px;
  object-fit: contain;
}
</style>

<ol>
{% for asset in assets %} 
<li><img src="{{asset}}"/></li>
{% endfor %}
</ol>

7. Run the script

$ uv run main.py

8. See the result

Open the index.html file in your browser.

Possible extension points

Anecdotes

filename.anecdote

etc!!!

Hopefully this triggers ideas for more extension points.