How to Install and Configure Apache Web Server for 2025

How to Install and Configure Apache Web Server - Complete Tutorial for 2025

The Apache HTTP server, famously termed Apache, is a freely available web server that is distributed under an open-source license. Apache is known for its power, reliability, and robustness, making it an ideal server software solution for websites. This tutorial aims to guide you through the process of installing and configuring the Apache web server.

The primary focus of this tutorial is to educate beginners who are new to server management while also providing valuable tips and insights for experienced users. By the end of the tutorial, you should be able to effectively manage an Apache server and host a website.

Requirements

Before getting started, ensure you have the following:

`• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or newer for server`

`• Root access or access to a user account with sudo or root privileges`

`• Stable internet connection`

`• Basic understanding of command-line navigation and SSH log-ins`

Step 1 -Update Your Server

To update the server, Open a new Terminal window. Begin by updating the package lists for upgrades and new package installations:

`sudo apt-get update`

Then upgrade the system:

`sudo apt-get -y upgrade`

Step 2 -Install Apache

With the system updated, install Apache by inputting the following command:

`sudo apt-get install apache2`

After installation, Apache service should start automatically. Verify this using:

`sudo systemctl status apache2`

If Apache was successfully installed and started, you should see “active (running)” in the output.

Step 3 -Configure Apache Firewall

To allow web traffic on Apache, adjust the firewall settings. Depending on your firewall system, the command may differ. For UFW Firewall, enter:

`sudo ufw allow 'Apache'`

Check the firewall settings again, and you should notice HTTPS traffic is allowed.

Step 4 -Verify Apache Installation

To check if Apache was properly installed, open your web browser and navigate to your server's IP address:

`http://server-IP-address`

If Apache was installed correctly, you should see the default Ubuntu Apache welcome page.

Step 5 -Configure Apache to Serve your Domain

At this point, Apache should be correctly installed and configured to handle requests to your server's IP address. The next step is adding the actual pages.

Within Apache, these settings are organized into configurable units, ‘Virtual Hosts,’ that specify the settings of your domain and document root.

Step 6 -Secure Apache with SSL Certificate

Lastly, you should secure Apache with an SSL certificate. For Apache to be able to start and stop SSL secured sessions, you need to create a public and private key pair. These keys securely encrypt the sessions between your server and your visitors.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we’ve covered how to install and configure an Apache web server. Remember, for your site to be accessible to others, you need to host the server on a public IP address.

Hosting a website can be a challenging task, but with this guide, you can now set up a server, configure it, and start serving web pages to the world. Happy hosting!