Setting up an ESP8266 web server
Rui Santos has written a short tutorial about creating a standalone web server using an ESP8266 module that can toggle two LEDs through a web interface. He first flashed the ESP-01 module with NodeMCU so that he could program the ESP8266 chip with LUA script. After that it gets pretty easy to modify the ESP8266 firmware for WiFi connection, controlling the GPIOs, etc.
ESP8266 web server
And don’t forget to check out our breadboard friendly adapters for ESP-01 modules that provides clear pin labels printed on the board to make prototyping with the ESP-01 module easier.
ESP-01 breadboard adapter