APACHE HTTP Server – simply explained

Apache is a free HTTP web server that is one of the most used web servers worldwide. In this article you will Apache HTTP Server explained simply and understandably.

What is APACHE HTTP Server?

The Apache HTTP Server is a free and open source web server developed by the Apache Software Foundation. It takes requests from clients (e.g. web browsers) and delivers the requested ones Webseiten and files back. The Apache HTTP Server & Hosting is one of the most used web servers worldwide and is used on almost all major websites.

The different types of APACHE servers

There are different types of Apache servers. Most Websites use a shared hosting service, where multiple websites are hosted on a single server be hosted. This is the most cost-effective way to run a website as the cost of the Server & Hosting and maintenance can be divided among several customers.

A virtual private Server & Hosting (VPS) is a way to achieve the next level of cost efficiency and performance. A VPS works similarly to a shared hosting service, but there are fewer customers on each server, meaning each customer has more Resources hat.
If you want absolute control and flexibility via your own server If you want, you can rent a dedicated server. This is the most expensive method of website hosting, but it also means that you don't have to share your resources with other websites and you have complete control over them Safety and maintenance of your server.

What type of software runs on an Apache HTTP Server?

The Apache HTTP Server & Hosting is a free and open source web server that runs primarily on the Unix operating system. However, it can also be used on other operating systems such as Microsoft Windows or macOS. The so-called “Apache Website Server software«. This enables users to access websites and web applications via the Internet.

The Apache Web Server software is primarily programmed in C. However, there are also some modules that are written in other programming languages ​​such as Perl or Python. Most websites that have the Apache HTTP server use so-called “dynamic websites”. This means that the content of the website is only generated when a user accesses it. So-called “script languages” are usually used to create dynamic websites. Examples of commonly used scripting languages ​​are PHP, Ruby on Rails and ASP.NET.

Advantages and disadvantages of an APACHE server

The Apache HTTP Server is a web server that runs on many platforms. It is developed by the Apache Software Foundation and is free software.

The server can be used as a reverse proxy, load balancer or HTTP cache. Modules can also be reloaded to provide additional functions.

The advantages include:

It is very stable and popular, which means there is a large community that provides help and support.
There is a large selection of modules that you can reload to adapt the server to your own needs.
It is easy to configure.

The disadvantages include:

– It is not as fast as other web servers.
– The configuration is relatively complex.
– There is no graphical interface to manage the server.
– Sometimes you have to edit the configuration manually.

What services does an APACHE server offer?

The Apache HTTP Server is a powerful and reliable Web server used by millions of websites worldwide. It offers a variety of functions and options that make it possible to operate even sophisticated websites. These include, among others:

VirtualHosting: 

By virtualizing the server, several Domains operated on one IP address.

Mod_rewrite: 

With this module you can redirect and URL redirects be configured.

.htaccess: 

This feature allows administrators to change the server's configuration without touching the website's source code.

SSL/TLS support:

The Apache server clearly supports SSL/TLS. To use this functionality, you need a digital certificate and the corresponding key. These two files are placed in a directory that can only be read by the Apache server (with a chmod statement). The server is then configured via the configuration file httpd.conf with the following syntax:

Listen 443 https DocumentRoot /var/www SSLEngine on SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl/server.crt SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl/server.key

How do you install an APACHE server?

The Apache HTTP Server is a free and open source web server. It can be installed on different operating systems such as Windows, Linux or macOS. Installing the Apache server is relatively easy.

First, one needs to download the latest version of Apache HTTP Server from the official website. This website also offers one Instructions for installation. After downloading the installation file, you can start the installation process. Most operating systems have a graphical installation wizard that guides you through the installation. However, it is also possible to install the server using the command line.

If the Apache server has been installed successfully, you should test it by clicking on the appropriate URL searches in a web browser. If everything is set up correctly, you should see a page showing the Apache version number.

How do you configure an Apache HTTP server?

The Apache HTTP Server is a free and open source web server. It was originally developed by a group of developers at the Apache Software Foundation and has been the most used web server worldwide since 1999.

The Apache HTTP Server can be used on various operating systems including Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows and BSD. Due to its portability and performance, it is also available on many other operating systems.

The Apache HTTP Server runs as a daemon process, i.e. H. it runs in the background and waits for requests directed to the web server. Once a request is received, the Apache HTTP Server processes the request and gives the response to the client.

Features of the Apache HTTP Server

The Apache Software Foundation operates the world's most popular web server. The server is open source and can be downloaded for free. The current version of the Apache HTTP Server is 2.4.54 and was released on June 8, 2022.

Apache HTTP Server offers a range of features and services that make it a good choice for most websites. Some of the features are:

Virtual Host Support: 

This allows you to have multiple Websites to be hosted on a single Apache server.

Modularity:

The server consists of a core component and many optional modules that you can install to get additional features.

Scalability:

The server is able to process a large number of requests by being distributed across multiple computers.

SSL support:

The server can with one SSL Certificate configured to enable secure connections.

CGI support: 

The server supports the execution of Commons Gateway Interface (CGI) scripts and almost CGI scripts. This allows developers to create dynamic content that responds to user requests.

.htaccess support:

This allows you to change the server's file-level configuration without restarting the server.

The operation of the Apache HTTP server

The Apache HTTP Server is a powerful web server that is used worldwide. In this article we would like to give you a little more insight into how to use the server.

The server runs on various operating systems including Linux, Unix and Windows. To access the server you need a web browser such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. In the browser's address bar, enter the server's IP address or hostname to access the home page.

On the homepage you will find an overview of the server's functions. To create a website, you first need to create a directory and put the files in it. The files must be in HTML format.

Alternatives to the APACHE HTTP Server

If you are after a Find an alternative to the APACHE HTTP Server, there are a few options you should consider. One of the most popular alternatives is NGINX, a free and open-source web server used by some of the largest websites on the Internet, including Airbnb, Netflix and Reddit. NGINX offers a higher Performance as APACHE and is also known for its high reliability.

Another popular alternative to APACHE is Microsoft IIS (Internet Information Services), which runs on Windows servers. IIS has a long one History and has been developed by Microsoft since 1995. Many large companies, including Starbucks and Dell, use IIS on their websites.

There are also some other smaller web server options you can consider. Some of them are Lighttpd, Cherokee and Mongoose.

Conclusion on the Apache server

Apache HTTP Server is a popular web server used by many large companies worldwide. It offers high reliability and performance and is relatively easy to configure. In this article, we have explained the basics of the Apache server and shown how to set it up.

All in all, Apache HTTP Server is a solid choice for a web server. It is reliable, powerful and well documented. If you want to set up a web server, you should consider Apache server.

Note..is important!

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This site is a private project by Jan Domke and solely reflects personal opinions and experiences.

Jan Domke

Prompt Engineer | Social Media Manager | Hosting Manager | Web administrator

I have been running the online magazine privately since the end of 2021 SEO4Business and thus turned my job into a hobby.
I have been working as a since 2019 Senior Hosting Manager, at one of the largest internet and marketing agencies in Germany and am constantly expanding my horizons.

Jan Domke