How do I install and use Apache?

Question

I have downloaded ubuntu Desktop. I want to create a web server to host Test Web Sites to show my potential clients. Any suggestions, tips, or good direction for me? My plan is to download Apache and just work through it. I would greatly appreciate anything that would help me get up and running.

Answer 1

1. First we need to install Apache 2. Either via a terminal or via the software center.

   • Go to the software center. Search for Apache 2 and then install it.
   • Type sudo apt-get install apache2 in a terminal.
   • Reboot with sudo reboot

2. Look in /var/www/ place all of your html/css etc, files here.

3. Open a web-browser and go to http://localhost/FileName

If you need more information about web server, ssh, or webdesign try these links:

• Ubuntu help regarding Apache 2.
• What's the best way of handling permissions for apache2's user www-data in /var/www?.
• If you need to access the web server via a network use ssh, how to set up a ubuntu server to be (securely) available from internet?.

Answer 2

The previous answer is actually slightly wrong, it's not:

sudo apt-get install apache-2

It should be:

sudo apt-get install apache2

If you're installing Apache, chances are that you would want PHP too, do that with:

sudo apt-get install php5 libapache2-mod-php5

You will need to restart Apache, so enter:

/etc/init.d/apache2 restart

Have fun! :-)

Answer 3

Well if you want to show web sites to potential clients you need to do few things besides just installing apache:

Since you are installing server it's probably a good idea to create 2 partitions so that you can always upgrade system one, divide disk into system and storage partition!

1. Install apache server with: sudo apt-get install apache2
2. Next install php (if your sites need it) sudo apt-get install php5 libapache2-mod-php5
3. You probably will need mysql and phpmyadmin so install them with: sudo apt-get install mysql-5.5 php5-mysql phpmyadmin
4. If you created a second partition then automount it with rx permissions in /etc/fstab
5. If you created second partition then make the www directory on it!
6. Change apache directory from /var/www to /media/storage/www. To do this, edit /etc/apache/sites-enabled/000-default and change the line containing /var/www to /media/storage/www.
7. Execute sudo reboot.
8. Done enjoy :)