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Open Source Technologies

Notes Introduction

The Apache Server combined with the power of PHP, MySQL, and phpMy Admin, creates
one of the best possible development environments for a web programmer. Getting everything
properly configured can take 20-30 minutes.
Installed Subversion and Apache on a Windows Server installation. It’s relatively simplified, but
you can do various different changes throughout to support your own environment.

4.1 Installation Method in Windows

You have several options when it comes to getting a basic Apache installation in place. Apache
is open source, meaning that you can have access to the full source code of the software, which
in turn enables you to build your own custom server. Additionally, pre-built Apache binary
distributions are available for most modern Unix platforms. Finally, Apache comes already
bundled with a variety of Linux distributions, and you can purchase commercial versions from
software vendors such as Covalent Technologies and IBM. The examples in this hour will teach
you how to build Apache from source if you are using Linux/Unix, and how to use the installer
if you plan to run Apache on a Windows system.
4.1.1 Building from Source

Building from source gives you the greatest flexibility, as it enables you to build a custom server,
remove modules you do not need and extend the server with third-party modules. Building
Apache from source code enables you to easily upgrade to the latest versions and quickly apply
security patches, whereas updated versions from vendors can take days or weeks to appear.

The process of building Apache from the source code is not especially difficult for simple
installations, but can grow in complexity when third-party modules and libraries are involved.

4.1.2 Installing a Binary

Linux/Unix binary installations are available from vendors and can also be downloaded from
the Apache Software Foundation Web site. They provide a convenient way to install Apache for
users with limited system administration knowledge, or with no special configuration needs.
Third party commercial vendors provide prepackaged Apache installations together with an
application server, additional modules, support, and so on.
The Apache Software Foundation provides an installer for Windows systems—a platform where
a compiler is not as commonly available as in Linux/Unix systems.

4.2 Apache Configuration File Structure

Apache keeps all of its configuration information in text files. The main file is called httpd.
conf. This file contains directives and containers, which enable you to customize your Apache
installation. Directives configure specific settings of Apache, such as authorization, performance
and network parameters. Containers specify the context to which those settings refer. For example,
authorization configuration can refer to the server as a whole, a directory or a single file.

4.2.1 Directives

The following rules apply for Apache directive syntax:

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