Lighttpd (pronounced “lighty”) is an open-source web server optimized for high-performance environments, released under the revised BSD license [1]. Its visual identity centers on a paper airplane symbol, a mark chosen through a community logo contest held in April and May 2005 [2].
Design and History
The lighttpd logo was selected after a public contest in early 2005, during which users reviewed submissions and chose three finalists [2]. The winning entry was based on a paper airplane design submitted by Phu of the design studio Endturn, later modified and simplified by Paul of openartist.net [3][4]. The official lighttpd wiki credits Phu as the author of the official logo, noting that his work is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license [4].
Paul described his modification as a “remix” of Endturn’s concept, explaining that he felt the paper airplane could be treated to carry more visual weight. He also restructured the wordmark into “Light-TPD” to make the name easier to pronounce, and introduced the tagline “Fly light” [2]. The winning announcement confirmed that the final logo paired the paper airplane with this slogan [3].
Meaning and Symbolism
Paul, who created the winning modification, stated that the paper airplane directly relates three main ideas: lightweight, vertical movement, and freedom [2]. The “Fly light” tagline plays off the idea of flight and the feeling of freedom, suggesting that users “don’t have a lot of baggage” [2]. This concept aligns with the server’s positioning as a lightweight alternative to heavier web server software.
Typography and Design
Paul explained that he found the name “Lighttpd” difficult to pronounce as a single word and deliberately set the wordmark as “Light-TPD” in his type solution [2]. The official lighttpd wiki notes that the logo was later “remixed” and simplified by Paul from openartist.net, whose domain is now parked [4]. No official documentation specifies exact color values or a named typeface for the current mark.
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