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Apache HTTP Server Version 1.3
Starting Apache
Invoking Apache
On Unix, the httpd program is usually run as a daemon
which executes continuously, handling requests. It is possible to
invoke Apache by the Internet daemon inetd each time a
connection to the HTTP service is made (use the ServerType directive) but this is
not recommended.
On Windows, Apache is normally run as a service on Windows NT, or as a
console application on Windows 95. See also running Apache for Windows.
Command line options
The following options are recognized on the httpd command line:
-d serverroot
- Set the initial value for the
ServerRoot variable to
serverroot. This can be overridden by the ServerRoot command
in the configuration file. The default is
/usr/local/apache on Unix, /apache on
Windows and /os2httpd on OS/2.
-D name
- Define a name for use in in
IfDefine directives.
This option can be used to optionally enable certain functionality in the
configuration file, or to use a common configuration for
several independent hosts, where host specific information is enclosed in
<IfDefine> sections.
-f config
- Execute the commands in the file config on startup. If
config does not begin with a
/, then it is taken to be a
path relative to the ServerRoot. The
default is conf/httpd.conf.
-C "directive"
- Process the given apache "directive" (just as if it had been part of a
configuration file) before actually reading the regular configuration files.
-c "directive"
- Process the given apache "directive" after reading
all the regular configuration files.
-X
- Run in single-process mode, for internal debugging purposes only; the
daemon does not detach from the terminal or fork any children. Do NOT
use this mode to provide ordinary web service.
-v
- Print the version of httpd and its build date, and then exit.
-V
- Print the base version of httpd, its
build date, and a list of compile time settings which influence the
behavior and performance of the apache server (e.g.,
-DUSE_MMAP_FILES),
then exit.
-L
-
Give a list of directives together with expected arguments and places
where the directive is valid, then exit. (Apache 1.3.4 and
later. Earlier versions used -l instead).
-l
-
Give a list of all modules compiled into the server, then exit.
(Apache 1.3.4 and later. Earlier versions used -h instead).
Give a list of directives together with expected arguments and places
where the directive is valid, then exit. (Apache 1.2 to 1.3.3. Later
versions use -L instead).
-h
-
Print a list of the httpd options, then exit. (Apache 1.3.4 and
later. Earlier versions used -? instead).
Give a list of all modules compiled into the server, then exit. (Up to
Apache 1.3.3. Later versions use -l instead).
-S
- Show the settings as parsed from the config file (currently only
shows a breakdown of the vhost settings) but do not start the
server. (Up to Apache 1.3.3, this option also started the server).
-t
- Test the configuration file syntax (i.e., read all configuration files
and interpret them) but do not start the server. If the configuration contains
errors, display an error message and exit with a non-zero exit status,
otherwise display "Syntax OK" and terminate with a zero exit status.
-k option
- Windows only: signal Apache to restart or shutdown. option
is one of "shutdown" or "restart". (Apache 1.3.3 and later).
-?
- Print a list of the httpd options, and then exit (up to Apache
1.3.3. Later version use -h instead).
Configuration files
The server will read three files for configuration directives. Any
directive may appear in any of these files. The the names of these
files are taken to be relative to the server root; this is set by the
ServerRoot directive, the
-d command line flag, or (on Windows only) the registry
(see Running Apache for Windows).
Conventionally, the files are:
conf/httpd.conf
- Contains directives that control the operation of the server daemon.
The filename may be overridden with the
-f command line flag.
conf/srm.conf
- Contains directives that control the specification of documents that
the server can provide to clients. The filename may be overridden with
the ResourceConfig directive.
conf/access.conf
- Contains directives that control access to documents.
The filename may be overridden with the
AccessConfig directive.
However, these conventions need not be adhered to.
The server also reads a file containing mime document types; the filename
is set by the TypesConfig
directive,
and is conf/mime.types by default.
Log files
security warning
Anyone who can write to the directory where Apache is writing a
log file can almost certainly gain access to the uid that the server is
started as, which is normally root. Do NOT give people write
access to the directory the logs are stored in without being aware of
the consequences; see the security tips
document for details.
pid file
On startup, Apache saves the process id of the parent httpd process to
the file logs/httpd.pid. This filename can be changed
with the PidFile directive. The
process-id is for use by the administrator in restarting and
terminating the daemon: on Unix, a HUP or USR1 signal causes the
daemon to re-read its configuration files and a TERM signal causes it
to die gracefully; on Windows, use the -k command line option instead.
For more information see the Stopping and
Restarting page.
If the process dies (or is killed) abnormally, then it will be necessary to
kill the children httpd processes.
Error log
The server will log error messages to a log file, by default
logs/error_log on Unix or logs/error.log on
Windows and OS/2. The filename can be set using the ErrorLog directive; different error
logs can be set for different virtual hosts.
Transfer log
The server will typically log each request to a transfer file, by
default logs/access_log on Unix or
logs/access.log on Windows and OS/2. The filename can be
set using a TransferLog directive
or additional log files created with the CustomLog directive;
different transfer logs can be set for different virtual hosts.
Apache HTTP Server Version 1.3
