How to Host a Website in Apache Server in Ubuntu

Hello Dev, hosting your website on an Apache server in Ubuntu is an affordable and effective way to establish your online presence. In this journal article, we will guide you step-by-step on how to host your website using Apache server in Ubuntu. Let’s get started!

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following:

1. A registered domain name
2. An Apache web server installed on your Ubuntu system
3. Your website files ready to upload

1. Register Your Domain Name

Choose a domain name that reflects your website and is easy to remember. You can register your domain name from any domain registrar like GoDaddy, Bluehost, etc. Make sure to purchase a domain name with a TLD (Top Level Domain) extension like .com, .org, .net, etc.

After purchasing the domain name, you need to redirect it to your web server IP address. You can achieve this by creating an “A record” in your domain DNS configuration that points to your server IP.

2. Install Apache Web Server on Ubuntu

In Ubuntu, Apache is available in the standard repository. To install Apache on Ubuntu, run the following command:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install apache2

After Apache is installed, you can check the status of the server with the following command:

systemctl status apache2

If the server is up and running, you will see the following output:

● apache2.service - The Apache HTTP Server
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/apache2.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2021-09-06 16:58:25 UTC; 10min ago
Main PID: 1161 (apache2)

3. Configure Apache for Your Website

To host your website in Apache server, you need to create a virtual host configuration file that contains the details of your website. Here’s how you can create a virtual host configuration file:

1. Create a directory for your website:

sudo mkdir /var/www/your_website_name

2. Create an index.html file:

sudo nano /var/www/your_website_name/index.html

Enter your website content and save the file.

3. Create a virtual host configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/your_website_name.conf

Copy and paste the following code into the file:

<VirtualHost *:80>ServerName www.your_website_name.comServerAlias your_website_name.comDocumentRoot /var/www/your_website_name<Directory />Options FollowSymLinksAllowOverride None</Directory><Directory /var/www/your_website_name>Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViewsAllowOverride NoneOrder allow,denyallow from all</Directory>ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.logLogLevel warnCustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined</VirtualHost>

Replace “your_website_name” with your actual website name and save the file.

4. Enable the virtual host:

sudo a2ensite your_website_name.conf

5. Restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

4. Upload Your Website Files

You have two options to upload your website files:

1. Using FTP
2. Using the terminal

If you are using FTP, you can use an FTP client like FileZilla to upload your website files. If you prefer to use the terminal, you can use the “scp” command to transfer files from your local system to the remote server. Here’s how you can use the “scp” command:

scp -r /path/to/your/website user@your_server_ip:/var/www/your_website_name

FAQ

Q1. What is a web server?

A web server is a computer program that serves web pages to clients upon request. Apache is a popular web server used to serve web pages.

Q2. What is Ubuntu?

Ubuntu is a Linux-based operating system that is free and open-source. It is widely used in web hosting environments due to its stability and security.

Q3. Do I need a static IP address to host my website?

No, you can use a dynamic IP address as well. However, it is recommended to use a static IP address as it is more reliable and provides better performance.

Q4. Can I host multiple websites on Apache server?

Yes, you can host multiple websites on the same Apache server by creating separate virtual host configuration files.

Q5. How can I secure my website hosted on Apache server?

You can secure your website by installing an SSL certificate, using secure passwords, and keeping your software up-to-date.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you have successfully hosted your website on Apache server in Ubuntu. We hope this guide was helpful to you. Remember to keep your website and server secure by following best practices and keeping your software updated.