Introduction

Apache is a powerful open-source web server that helps you serve web content over the internet. You can use it to host websites and web applications, making it essential for web development. Apache offers high performance and flexibility, allowing you to customize it with various modules. It is cross-platform, which means it works on different operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux. Apache integrates well with other technologies, such as PHP, Python, and MySQL, providing a comprehensive solution for web hosting needs.

This guide shows you how to install Apache on a Rocky Linux 9.

Prerequisites

To get started, ensure you have the following:

• A Rocky Linux 9 server. We recommend a Digital Ocean VPS server.
• A non-root user account with sudo privileges. Read our guide on how to Create a Non-root sudo user account on Rocky Linux 9.

Update and Install Apache

In this section, you will update your package list and install Apache. Keeping your package list updated ensures you get the latest available packages.

1. Update your package list.

   CONSOLE

   $ sudo dnf update -y
   

   This command refreshes your package list to get the most recent versions.

2. Install Apache.

   CONSOLE

   $ sudo dnf install httpd -y
   

   This command downloads and installs Apache on your system.

Enable Firewall for Apache

In this section, you will configure your firewall to allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic. These protocols are necessary for Apache to serve web content.

1. Allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic.

   CONSOLE

   $ sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
   $ sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
   

   These commands open the necessary ports (80 for HTTP and 443 for HTTPS) to enable Apache to handle web traffic.

   Output:

   success
   

2. Reload the firewall to apply the changes.

   CONSOLE

   $ sudo firewall-cmd --reload
   

   This command reloads the firewall settings to apply the changes.

   Output:

   success
   

Start and Manage Apache Service

In this section, you will start the Apache service and manage it using systemctl. This includes enabling Apache to start at boot, stopping, and restarting Apache.

1. Start Apache service.

   CONSOLE

   $ sudo systemctl start httpd
   

   This command starts the Apache service.

2. Enable Apache to start at boot.

   CONSOLE

   $ sudo systemctl enable httpd
   

   This command configures Apache to start automatically at boot.

3. Stop Apache service.

   CONSOLE

   $ sudo systemctl stop httpd
   

   This command stops the Apache service.

4. Restart the Apache service.

   CONSOLE

   $ sudo systemctl restart httpd
   

   This command restarts the Apache service.

Apache Directory Structure

In this section, you will learn about the Apache directory structure and the location of various configuration files and the web root directory.

1. Main Apache configuration file.

   CONSOLE

   /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf
   

2. Additional Apache configuration files.

   CONSOLE

   /etc/httpd/conf.d/
   

3. Default web-root for storing website files.

   CONSOLE

   /var/www/html/
   

Verify Apache Installation

In this section, you will verify that Apache runs correctly. You will also ensure that your firewall settings allow web traffic.

1. Check Apache status.

   CONSOLE

   $ sudo systemctl status httpd
   

   This command shows the status of Apache. If it is active and running, you will see a message indicating that.

   Output:

   ● httpd.service - The Apache HTTP Server
    Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/httpd.service; enabled; preset: disabled)
    Active: active (running) since Thu 2025-01-02 09:12:34 UTC; 25s ago
      Docs: man:httpd.service(8)
   

2. Open a web browser and navigate to your server's public IP address.

   http://192.168.0.1
   

3. You should see the default Apache welcome page, confirming that Apache is installed and functioning correctly.

   

Conclusion

You have installed Apache on your Rocky Linux 9 server. This guide covered updating your package list, installing Apache, enabling the firewall, managing the Apache service, and understanding the Apache directory structure. Apache is now ready to serve your web content. You can start configuring your web server and deploying your websites. Consider setting up virtual hosts, securing your server with SSL/TLS, and optimizing performance to enhance your server's capabilities.