Apache Httpd Cheat Sheet

This cheat sheet provides a quick reference guide for configuring the Apache HTTP Server, a widely-used open-source web server. Whether you are a beginner setting up your first server or an experienced administrator fine-tuning performance, this compilation of essential directives and configurations will help you navigate through the intricacies of Apache configuration files.

How to Use  

The cheat sheet is organized into several sections, covering fundamental aspects of Apache server configuration. Each directive is presented in a tabular format, providing a clear and concise overview of its purpose and usage. Whether you are dealing with basic server settings, virtual hosts, directory configurations, logging, modules, security, SSL/TLS, or performance optimizations, you can easily find the information you need.

Customization  

Feel free to customize this cheat sheet to match your specific requirements. Apache configurations can vary based on your server environment, and adapting these directives ensures that your Apache server aligns with your project’s needs. The examples provided serve as a starting point, offering practical insights into common scenarios.

Whether you’re a developer, system administrator, or someone exploring web server configurations, use this cheat sheet as a handy reference to streamline your Apache HTTP Server setup and maintenance tasks.

Happy configuring!

Basic Configuration  

Directive	Description	Example
ServerRoot	Root directory of the Apache server installation	ServerRoot /etc/httpd
Listen	Specify the IP address and port to listen on	Listen 80
ServerName	Set the server’s fully-qualified domain name	ServerName www.example.com
ServerAdmin	Email address of the server administrator	ServerAdmin [email protected]

Virtual Hosts  

Directive	Description	Example
<VirtualHost>	Define a virtual host	<VirtualHost *:80>
DocumentRoot	Specify the document root directory	DocumentRoot /var/www/html
ServerAlias	Define additional server names for a virtual host	ServerAlias example.com
ErrorLog	Set the path to the error log file	ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/error_log
CustomLog	Define a log format and specify log file	CustomLog /var/log/httpd/access_log common

Directory Configuration  

Directive	Description	Example
<Directory>	Apply configuration to a specific directory	<Directory /var/www/html>
Options	Set various options for a directory	Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride	Allow .htaccess files to override configuration	AllowOverride All
Order	Specify the order in which allow/deny directives are processed	Order Deny,Allow
Deny	Deny access based on host or network address	Deny from 192.168.1.2
Allow	Allow access based on host or network address	Allow from all

Logging  

Directive	Description	Example
ErrorLog	Set the path to the error log file	ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/error_log
CustomLog	Define a log format and specify log file	CustomLog /var/log/httpd/access_log common

Modules  

Directive	Description	Example
LoadModule	Load an Apache module	LoadModule deflate_module modules/mod_deflate.so
LoadModule	Load SSL/TLS module for secure connections	LoadModule ssl_module modules/mod_ssl.so

Security  

Directive	Description	Example
<Files>	Apply configuration to specific files	<Files "file.txt">
Order	Specify the order in which allow/deny directives are processed	Order Deny,Allow
Deny	Deny access based on host or network address	Deny from 192.168.1.2
Allow	Allow access based on host or network address	Allow from all
Require	Specify access control based on authentication and authorization	Require all granted

SSL/TLS Configuration  

Directive	Description	Example
SSLEngine	Enable SSL/TLS for a virtual host	SSLEngine on
SSLCertificateFile	Path to the SSL certificate file	SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/server.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile	Path to the SSL private key file	SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/private/server.key
SSLCACertificateFile	Path to the SSL CA certificate file	SSLCACertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/ca.crt

Performance  

Directive	Description	Example
KeepAlive	Enable or disable persistent connections	KeepAlive On
MaxKeepAliveRequests	Maximum number of requests allowed during a persistent connection	MaxKeepAliveRequests 100
KeepAliveTimeout	Time (in seconds) the server will wait for a subsequent request	KeepAliveTimeout 5
HostnameLookups	Enable or disable DNS lookups for IP addresses in the logs	HostnameLookups Off