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Basic Configuration Guide for Apache2 and Nginx

Apache2 Basic Configuration​

1. Default Configuration File​

The main configuration file for Apache2 is located at:

/etc/apache2/apache2.conf

2. Virtual Hosts Configuration​

To host multiple websites on the same server, configure virtual hosts:

  • Navigate to the sites-available directory:

    cd /etc/apache2/sites-available/

  • Create a new virtual host file:

    sudo nano yoursite.conf

  • Add the following basic virtual host configuration:

    <VirtualHost *:80>
        ServerName yourdomain.com
        ServerAlias www.yourdomain.com
        DocumentRoot /var/www/yourdomain
        <Directory /var/www/yourdomain>
            AllowOverride All
        </Directory>
        ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
        CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
    </VirtualHost>

  • Enable the site and reload Apache:

    sudo a2ensite yoursite.conf
    sudo systemctl reload apache2

3. Enabling Modules​

To enable useful modules like rewrite:

sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl reload apache2

Nginx Basic Configuration​

1. Default Configuration File​

The main configuration file for Nginx is located at:

/etc/nginx/nginx.conf

2. Server Block Configuration​

Nginx uses server blocks (similar to virtual hosts in Apache) to manage different websites:

  • Navigate to the sites-available directory:

    cd /etc/nginx/sites-available/

  • Create a new server block file:

    sudo nano yoursite

  • Add the following basic server block configuration:

    server {
        listen 80;
        server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
        root /var/www/yourdomain;
        index index.html index.htm;

        location / {
            try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
        }

        error_log /var/log/nginx/yourdomain_error.log;
        access_log /var/log/nginx/yourdomain_access.log;
    }

  • Enable the site by creating a symlink to sites-enabled:

    sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/yoursite /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

  • Test the configuration and reload Nginx:

    sudo nginx -t
    sudo systemctl reload nginx

Additional Notes​

  • Always back up your configuration files before making changes.
  • Use sudo systemctl reload <service> after updating any configuration to apply changes.
  • Both servers allow you to enable SSL using tools like Certbot for Let's Encrypt.