apache/docs/manual/configuring.xml

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<manualpage metafile="configuring.xml.meta">

  <title>Configuration Files</title>

<summary>
<p>This document describes the files used to configure the Apache
HTTP server.</p>
</summary>

  <section id="main">
    <title>Main Configuration Files</title>
    <related>
      <modulelist>
        <module>mod_mime</module>
      </modulelist>
      <directivelist>
        <directive module="core" type="section">IfDefine</directive>
        <directive module="core">Include</directive>
        <directive module="mod_mime">TypesConfig</directive>
      </directivelist>
    </related>

    <p>Apache is configured by placing <a
    href="mod/directives.html">directives</a> in plain text
    configuration files. The main configuration file is usually called
    <code>httpd.conf</code>. The location of this file is set at
    compile-time, but may be overridden with the <code>-f</code>
    command line flag. In addition, other configuration files may be
    added using the <directive module="core">Include</directive>
    directive, and wildcards can be used to include many configuration
    files. Any directive may be placed in any of these configuration
    files.  Changes to the main configuration files are only
    recognized by Apache when it is started or restarted.</p>

    <p>The server also reads a file containing mime document types;
    the filename is set by the <directive
    module="mod_mime">TypesConfig</directive> directive,
    and is <code>mime.types</code> by default.</p>
  </section>

  <section id="syntax">
    <title>Syntax of the Configuration Files</title>

    <p>Apache configuration files contain one directive per line.
    The back-slash "\" may be used as the last character on a line
    to indicate that the directive continues onto the next line.
    There must be no other characters or white space between the
    back-slash and the end of the line.</p>

    <p>Directives in the configuration files are case-insensitive,
    but arguments to directives are often case sensitive. Lines
    that begin with the hash character "#" are considered
    comments, and are ignored. Comments may <strong>not</strong> be
    included on a line after a configuration directive. Blank lines
    and white space occurring before a directive are ignored, so
    you may indent directives for clarity.</p>

    <p>You can check your configuration files for syntax errors
    without starting the server by using <code>apachectl
    configtest</code> or the <code>-t</code> command line
    option.</p>
  </section>

  <section id="modules">
    <title>Modules</title>

    <related>
      <modulelist>
        <module>mod_so</module>
      </modulelist>
      <directivelist>
        <directive module="core" type="section">IfModule</directive>
        <directive module="mod_so">LoadModule</directive>
      </directivelist>
    </related>

    <p>Apache is a modular server. This implies that only the most
    basic functionality is included in the core server. Extended
    features are available through <a
    href="mod/">modules</a> which can be loaded
    into Apache. By default, a <a
    href="mod/module-dict.html#Status">base</a> set of modules is
    included in the server at compile-time. If the server is
    compiled to use <a href="dso.html">dynamically loaded</a>
    modules, then modules can be compiled separately and added at
    any time using the <directive module="mod_so">LoadModule</directive>
    directive.
    Otherwise, Apache must be recompiled to add or remove modules.
    Configuration directives may be included conditional on a
    presence of a particular module by enclosing them in an <directive
    module="core" type="section">IfModule</directive> block.</p>

    <p>To see which modules are currently compiled into the server,
    you can use the <code>-l</code> command line option.</p>
  </section>

  <section id="scope">
    <title>Scope of Directives</title>

    <related>
      <directivelist>
        <directive module="core" type="section">Directory</directive>
        <directive module="core" type="section">DirectoryMatch</directive>
        <directive module="core" type="section">Files</directive>
        <directive module="core" type="section">FilesMatch</directive>
        <directive module="core" type="section">Location</directive>
        <directive module="core" type="section">LocationMatch</directive>
        <directive module="core" type="section">VirtualHost</directive>
      </directivelist>
    </related>

    <p>Directives placed in the main configuration files apply to
    the entire server. If you wish to change the configuration for
    only a part of the server, you can scope your directives by
    placing them in <directive module="core"
    type="section">Directory</directive>, <directive module="core"
    type="section">DirectoryMatch</directive>, <directive module="core"
    type="section">Files</directive>, <directive module="core"
    type="section">FilesMatch</directive>, <directive module="core"
    type="section">Location</directive>, and <directive module="core"
    type="section">LocationMatch</directive>
    sections. These sections limit the application of the
    directives which they enclose to particular filesystem
    locations or URLs. They can also be nested, allowing for very
    fine grained configuration.</p>

    <p>Apache has the capability to serve many different websites
    simultaneously. This is called <a href="vhosts/">Virtual
    Hosting</a>. Directives can also be scoped by placing them
    inside <directive module="core" type="section">VirtualHost</directive>
    sections, so that they will only apply to requests for a
    particular website.</p>

    <p>Although most directives can be placed in any of these
    sections, some directives do not make sense in some contexts.
    For example, directives controlling process creation can only
    be placed in the main server context. To find which directives
    can be placed in which sections, check the <a
    href="mod/directive-dict.html#Context">Context</a> of the
    directive. For further information, we provide details on <a
    href="sections.html">How Directory, Location and Files sections
    work</a>.</p>
  </section>

  <section id="htaccess">
    <title>.htaccess Files</title>

    <related>
      <directivelist>
        <directive module="core">AccessFileName</directive>
        <directive module="core">AllowOverride</directive>
      </directivelist>
    </related>

    <p>Apache allows for decentralized management of configuration
    via special files placed inside the web tree. The special files
    are usually called <code>.htaccess</code>, but any name can be
    specified in the <directive module="core">AccessFileName</directive>
    directive. Directives placed in <code>.htaccess</code> files
    apply to the directory where you place the file, and all
    sub-directories. The <code>.htaccess</code> files follow the
    same syntax as the main configuration files. Since
    <code>.htaccess</code> files are read on every request, changes
    made in these files take immediate effect.</p>

    <p>To find which directives can be placed in
    <code>.htaccess</code> files, check the <a
    href="mod/directive-dict.html#Context">Context</a> of the
    directive. The server administrator further controls what
    directives may be placed in <code>.htaccess</code> files by
    configuring the <directive module="core">AllowOverride</directive>
    directive in the main configuration files.</p>

    <p>For more information on <code>.htaccess</code> files, see
    the <a href="howto/htaccess.html">.htaccess tutorial</a>.</p>
  </section>
</manualpage>