Apache HTTP Server is a free and open-source web server that delivers web content through the internet. It is commonly referred to as Apache and after development, it quickly became the most popular HTTP client on the web. It’s widely thought that Apache gets its name from its development history and process of improvement through applied patches and modules but that was corrected back in 2000. It was revealed that the name originated from the respect of the Native American tribe for its resiliency and durability.
Now, before we get too in depth on Apache, we should first go over what a web application is and the standard architecture usually found in web apps.
Why Apache Web Servers?
Apache is considered open source software, which means the original source code is freely available for viewing and collaboration. Being open source has made Apache very popular with developers who have built and configured their own modules to apply specific functionality and improve on its core features. Apache has been around since 1995 and is responsible as a core technology that helped spur the initial growth of the internet in its infancy.
One of the pros of Apache is its ability to handle large amounts of traffic with minimal configuration. It scales with ease and with its modular functionality at its core, you can configure Apache to do what you want, how you want it. You can also remove unwanted modules to make Apache more lightweight and efficient.
Some of the most popular modules that can be added are SSL, Server Side Programming Support (PHP), and Load Balancing configs to handle large amounts of traffic. Apache can also be deployed on Linux, MacOS, and Windows. If you learn how to configure Apache on Linux, you can administer Apache on Windows and Mac. The only difference would be directory paths and installation processes.
Features of Apache Web Server
- Handling of static files
- Loadable dynamic modules
- Auto-indexing
- .htaccess
- Compatible with IPv6
- Supports HTTP/2
- FTP connections
- Gzip compression and decompression
- Bandwidth throttling
- Perl, PHP, Lua scripts
- Load balancing
- Session tracking
- URL rewriting
- Geolocation based on IP address
How does Apache Web Server Work?
Apache functions as a way to communicate over networks from client to server using the TCP/IP protocol. Apache can be used for a wide variety of protocols, but the most common is HTTP/S. HTTP/S or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (S stands for Secure) is one of the main protocols on the web, and the one protocol Apache is most known for.
HTTP/S is used to define how messages are formatted and transmitted across the web, with instructions for browsers and servers on how to respond to various requests and commands. Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is usually through port 443 with the unsecured protocol being through port 80.
The Apache server is configured via config files in which modules are used to control its behavior. By default, Apache listens to the IP addresses configured in its config files that are being requested. This is where one of Apaches many strengths come into play.
With the Listen directive, Apache can accept and route specific traffic to certain ports and domains based on specific address-port combination requests. By default, Listen runs on port 80 but Apache can be bound to different ports for different domains, allowing for many different websites and domains to be hosted and a single server. You can have domain1.com listening on port 80, domain2.com on port 8080 and domain3.com on port 443 using HTTPS all on Apache.
Once a message reaches its destination or recipient, it sends a notice, or ACK message, basically giving acknowledgment to the original sender that their data has successfully arrived. If there’s an error in receiving data, or some packets were lost in transit, the destination host or client sends a Not Acknowledged, or NAK message, to inform the sender that the data needs to be retransmitted.
Some key features of Apache include:
- High performance: Apache is known for its efficient resource utilization, making it capable of handling a large number of concurrent connections and serving web pages quickly.
- Security: Apache incorporates various security features and supports encryption protocols like SSL/TLS for secure communication between the server and clients.
- Flexibility: Apache can be configured for a wide range of use cases and supports a variety of programming languages and technologies, such as PHP, Python, Perl, and more.
- Scalability: Apache can be deployed in both small-scale and large-scale environments, and it supports load balancing and clustering to distribute traffic across multiple servers.
- Open-source community support: Apache has a vibrant community of developers and users who actively contribute to its development, provide support, and create additional modules and extensions.
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