$Revision: 1.99 $ ($Date: 2010/12/10 10:13:45 $)
Please note that this document refers to a version of the product which has been deprecated, and declared "end of life", in favor of the more recent version of the server. Information obtained here is likely to be outdated and inaccurate.
The latest version of this FAQ is available on the HTTP Server Wiki, at <http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/misc/FAQ.html>. This version is no longer maintained, and contains inaccurate and grossly outdated information.
The Apache httpd server
DirectoryIndex index.html
index.cgi
, which instructs the server to
either send back index.html
or run
index.cgi
when a directory URL is
requested, whichever it finds in the directory.The About Apache document explains how the Apache project evolved from its beginnings as an outgrowth of the NCSA httpd project to its current status as one of the fastest, most efficient, and most functional web servers in existence.
The name 'Apache' was chosen from respect for the Native American Indian tribe of Apache (Indé), well-known for their superior skills in warfare strategy and their inexhaustible endurance. For more information on the Apache Nation, we suggest searching Google, or AllTheWeb.
Secondarily, and more popularly (though incorrectly) accepted, it's a considered cute name which stuck. Apache is "A PAtCHy server". It was based on some existing code and a series of "patch files".
Benchmarks tend to be a measure of configuration competance, rather than of server quality. That is, if you're an expert in IIS, you can probably get it to run faster than you can get Apache to run. You can therefore find comparisions of various HTTP servers that prove that each is faster than all the others. We tend to take server performance benchmarks with a grain of salt.
Apache is run on over 110 million Internet servers (as of April 2010) (Source, Netcraft). It has been tested thoroughly by both developers and users. The Apache HTTP Server Project Management Committee maintains rigorous standards before releasing new versions of their server, and our server runs without a hitch on over one half of all WWW servers available on the Internet. When bugs do show up, we release patches and new versions as soon as they are available.
There is no official support for Apache. None of the
developers want to be swamped by a flood of trivial
questions that can be resolved elsewhere. Bug reports and
suggestions should be sent via the bug
report page. Other questions should be directed to the
Apache HTTP
Server Users List or the
comp.infosystems.www.servers.unix
or comp.infosystems.www.servers.ms-windows
newsgroup (as appropriate for the platform you use), where
some of the Apache team lurk, in the company of many other
httpd gurus who should be able to help. The #httpd
channel on the irc.libera.chat
IRC network is a
good place for quick questions.
Commercial support for Apache is, however, available from a number of third parties.
Indeed there is. See the main Apache web site. There are also many books about the Apache HTTP Server available.
You can find out how to download the source for Apache at the project's main web page.
You may NOT use any original artwork from the Apache Software Foundation, nor make or use modified versions of such artwork, except under the following conditions: