How to Install and Configure Apache on Fedora

Edited 1 week ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Apache, officially known as the Apache HTTP Server, is a powerful and flexible web server widely used around the world. It is open-source and maintained by the Apache Software Foundation. This guide will guide you through the steps to install and configure Apache on Fedora, a popular Linux-based operating system.

1. Understanding Apache and Fedora

Before we begin, it's important to understand what Apache and Fedora are, and why you would want to use them together. Apache is a web server application that allows a computer to host websites and provide content over the Internet. Fedora, on the other hand, is a Linux distribution known for its cutting-edge software and stability. Installing Apache on Fedora combines Apache's robust server capabilities with Fedora's powerful features.

2. Prerequisites

Make sure you have the following prerequisites before proceeding with the installation:

• The system running Fedora. This can be a local machine or a remote server.
• Access to the terminal or command-line interface.
• Root or sudo user privileges to install and configure the software.
• Internet connection to download the Apache packages.

3. Installing Apache on Fedora

Let's begin the installation process. We will be using the default package manager in Fedora, called DNF.

Step 1: Update your system

Before installing a new package, it is always a good practice to update your system's package index to ensure you have the latest software updates. Run the following command in your terminal:

sudo dnf update -y

This command will download and install the latest updates for your system. The -y option automatically answers "yes" to the prompts during the update process.

Step 2: Install the Apache package

After updating the system, we can install Apache. Use the following command:

sudo dnf install httpd -y

This command installs the Apache HTTP Server package on your Fedora system. httpd package is what is referred to as Apache in Fedora's package repository.

4. Starting and enabling Apache

Once Apache is installed, you need to start the Apache service to host web content. Additionally, you can enable the service to start automatically at boot time.

Step 1: Start Apache

Use the command below to start the Apache service:

sudo systemctl start httpd

After running this command, Apache will start. However, it will stop when you reboot the system.

Step 2: Enable Apache

To make Apache start on every boot, run the following command:

sudo systemctl enable httpd

This command configures the Apache service to start as part of the boot-up process, ensuring that your web server is always available after a reboot.

5. Configuring a firewall for Apache

Fedora includes a firewall, firewalld, which blocks access to services by default. You must configure the firewall to allow web traffic to reach the Apache server. This includes opening TCP ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS).

Step 1: Open port 80 and port 443

Run the following command to open the appropriate port:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=80/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=443/tcp

Step 2: Reload the firewall

After modifying the firewall settings, reload the firewall for the changes to take effect:

sudo firewall-cmd --reload

These commands will allow incoming HTTP and HTTPS requests to be served by Apache.

6. Testing the Apache installation

After installation and configuration, it is important to verify that Apache is working correctly.

Step 1: Check Apache service status

You can check the status of the Apache service as follows:

sudo systemctl status httpd

This command will tell you if Apache is up and running, as well as other information related to the service.

Step 2: Verify via web browser

To verify that Apache is rendering the web page, open a web browser and type:

http://your_server_ip

Replace your_server_ip with the actual IP address or hostname of your Fedora system. You should see the Apache default test page confirming that the server is working as expected.

7. Configuring Apache

After making sure that Apache is properly installed and running, the next step is to configure the server to serve your website or application. Apache configuration is done in its configuration files, located at /etc/httpd/conf or /etc/httpd/conf.d.

Step 1: Default configuration file

The main configuration file is httpd.conf and it is located in the /etc/httpd/conf directory. You can edit this file to change the default Apache settings. Open it with a text editor:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

In this file, you can modify various server settings such as ServerName, DocumentRoot, etc.

Step 2: Virtual host

To host multiple websites, Apache uses virtual hosts. Virtual hosts are a child configuration that allows you to set up different domains or subdomains on the same server.

Creating a basic virtual host

Create a new configuration file in /etc/httpd/conf.d:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf.d/your_site.conf

In this configuration file, you can define parameters for your specific website:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin webmaster@your_site.com
    ServerName your_site.com
    ServerAlias www.your_site.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/your_site
    ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/your_site-error.log
    CustomLog /var/log/httpd/your_site-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Make sure DocumentRoot points to the content directory of your website.

8. Adjusting permissions and ownership

Make sure Apache can read the appropriate files and directories for public access.

Setting permissions

If your site is located in /var/www/your_site, set the correct permissions and ownership:

sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/your_site
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/your_site

These commands ensure that Apache can access your web files while maintaining secure permission sets.

9. Restarting Apache

After making changes to Apache's configuration files, you must restart the service for them to take effect.

sudo systemctl restart httpd

This command restarts Apache and applies all the configuration changes made in the files.

10. Security considerations

Securing your Apache installation is important to protect your server from attacks. Here are some basic steps to improve security:

• Disable directory listing by making sure Options -Indexes is set in your configuration files.
• Keep Apache updated to ensure you have the latest security fixes.
• Implement a web application firewall such as ModSecurity for added protection against common attacks.
• Review access logs regularly to monitor for any suspicious activity.

Conclusion

By following this detailed guide, you have successfully installed and configured Apache on Fedora. Now you are ready to leverage the power of Apache to host websites and deliver content over the Internet. Remember to keep your system updated and monitor server performance to maintain a secure and efficient environment.

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