Architecture that embeds a server (a local server) inside a mobile device operating system (OS) close to the data (but under the OS services) such that the server has access to native capabilities, and offers an Internet-like frontend with which a browser or application can communicate. The local server appears as a web server, and small programs can be pushed into the local server from the browser or a remote server such that the local server can be made to perform work more effectively. Local and remote events can be triggered such as launching a browser (or other application(s)), initiating remote server calls, triggering battery save mode, locking the phone, etc. The local server can run a script execution environment such as node.js, an event driven I/O model where callbacks are invoked to handle emergent conditions (e.g., explicit requests, state changes, etc.).