Apache – frequently used web server
The Apache HTTP Server was developed by the Apache Software Foundation back in April 1995. It is a further development of the NCSA HTTPd web server. Eight developers created the most widely used web server to date, according to Netcraft. The Apache HTTP Server is open source software that can be freely developed and modified by developers. This ensures that the web server can withstand current requirements for stability, speed and security.
Important features of the Apache HTTP Server
Apache supports numerous operating systems including the most widely used operating systems such as Win32, NetWare, Unix and Linux. Common Linux distributions already have an Apache HTTP Server built in. For Windows, Mac OS X and other Linux versions – the easy-to-use development distribution XAMPP is available. Current versions of the web server include a library that allows simplification of the web server: certain system calls that are commonly used have been unified and generalized. This library provides access to these system calls. This makes it possible to better exploit the advantages of each operating system.
Modular structure of the Apache web server
The Apache HTTP server can be adapted and extended at any time by most diverse modules to the personal need. For example, it is possible to use scripting languages such as Perl, PHP, Ruby, JavaScript, Python, Tcl, .NET and Lua to create dynamic web pages that can provide the user with a variety of useful functions. If only simpler web pages are to be created dynamically, the mod_include already included in the web server can also be used. This base can be used to call SSI (Server Side Includes), which assists in the creation of dynamic websites. The mod_ssl extension allows the web server to communicate with web browsers in an encrypted way using SSL technology. The mod_proxy module extends Apache to a proxy server. The mod_rewrite extension allows URLs to be manipulated. This is used in e-commerce, for example, for search engine optimization, where dynamic URL structures are changed to give the impression of being static URLs. This is intended to be viewed positively by search engines. mod_headers is a module for the Apache web server that can be used to modify HTTP header data. Authentication routines can be set up via the mod_auth module. Information about file types is provided by the mod_mime and mod_mime_magic modules. The mod_status module, on the other hand, can automatically generate status reports.
The benefits of Apache
In e-commerce, the Apache HTTP server is used to send information to the web browser that the user has requested, such as data about a product or the order page. In addition, the SSL module is used here, for example, if the user’s personal data must be transmitted in encrypted form as part of an order or registration process for reasons of data protection.
