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7 --><title>Configuration Files - Apache HTTP Server</title><link href="./style/css/manual.css" rel="stylesheet" media="all" type="text/css" title="Main stylesheet" /><link href="./style/css/manual-loose-100pc.css" rel="alternate stylesheet" media="all" type="text/css" title="No Sidebar - Default font size" /><link href="./style/css/manual-print.css" rel="stylesheet" media="print" type="text/css" /><link href="./images/favicon.ico" rel="shortcut icon" /></head><body id="manual-page"><div id="page-header"><p class="menu"><a href="./mod/">Modules</a> | <a href="./mod/directives.html">Directives</a> | <a href="./faq/">FAQ</a> | <a href="./glossary.html">Glossary</a> | <a href="./sitemap.html">Sitemap</a></p><p class="apache">Apache HTTP Server Version 2.0</p><img alt="" src="./images/feather.gif" /></div><div class="up"><a href="./"><img title="<-" alt="<-" src="./images/left.gif" /></a></div><div id="path"><a href="http://www.apache.org/">Apache</a> > <a href="http://httpd.apache.org/">HTTP Server</a> > <a href="http://httpd.apache.org/docs-project/">Documentation</a> > <a href="./">Version 2.0</a></div><div id="page-content"><div id="preamble"><h1>Configuration Files</h1>
8 <p>This document describes the files used to configure the Apache
10 </div><div id="quickview"><ul id="toc"><li><img alt="" src="./images/down.gif" /> <a href="#main">Main Configuration Files</a></li><li><img alt="" src="./images/down.gif" /> <a href="#syntax">Syntax of the Configuration Files</a></li><li><img alt="" src="./images/down.gif" /> <a href="#modules">Modules</a></li><li><img alt="" src="./images/down.gif" /> <a href="#scope">Scope of Directives</a></li><li><img alt="" src="./images/down.gif" /> <a href="#htaccess">.htaccess Files</a></li></ul></div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="./images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="main" id="main">Main Configuration Files</a></h2>
12 <table class="related"><tr><th>Related Modules</th><th>Related Directives</th></tr><tr><td><ul><li><code class="module"><a href="./mod/mod_mime.html">mod_mime</a></code></li></ul></td><td><ul><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#ifdefine"><IfDefine></a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#include">Include</a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/mod_mime.html#typesconfig">TypesConfig</a></code></li></ul></td></tr></table>
14 <p>Apache is configured by placing <a href="mod/directives.html">directives</a> in plain text
15 configuration files. The main configuration file is usually
16 called <code>httpd.conf</code>. The location of this file is
17 set at compile-time, but may be overridden with the
18 <code>-f</code> command line flag. In addition, other
19 configuration files may be added using the <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#include">Include</a></code> directive. Any
20 directive may be placed in any of these configuration files.
21 Changes to the main configuration files are only recognized by
22 Apache when it is started or restarted.</p>
24 <p>New with Apache 1.3.13 is a feature where if any
25 configuration file is actually a directory, Apache will enter
26 that directory and parse any files (and subdirectories) found
27 there as configuration files. One possible use for this would
28 be to add VirtualHosts by creating small configuration files
29 for each host, and placing them in such a configuration
30 directory. Thus, you can add or remove VirtualHosts without
31 editing any files at all, simply adding or deleting them. This
32 makes automating such processes much easier.</p>
34 <p>The server also reads a file containing mime document types;
35 the filename is set by the <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/mod_mime.html#typesconfig">TypesConfig</a></code> directive,
36 and is <code>mime.types</code> by default.</p>
37 </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="./images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="syntax" id="syntax">Syntax of the Configuration Files</a></h2>
40 <p>Apache configuration files contain one directive per line.
41 The back-slash "\" may be used as the last character on a line
42 to indicate that the directive continues onto the next line.
43 There must be no other characters or white space between the
44 back-slash and the end of the line.</p>
46 <p>Directives in the configuration files are case-insensitive,
47 but arguments to directives are often case sensitive. Lines
48 which begin with the hash character "#" are considered
49 comments, and are ignored. Comments may <strong>not</strong> be
50 included on a line after a configuration directive. Blank lines
51 and white space occurring before a directive are ignored, so
52 you may indent directives for clarity.</p>
54 <p>You can check your configuration files for syntax errors
55 without starting the server by using <code>apachectl
56 configtest</code> or the <code>-t</code> command line
58 </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="./images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="modules" id="modules">Modules</a></h2>
61 <table class="related"><tr><th>Related Modules</th><th>Related Directives</th></tr><tr><td><ul><li><code class="module"><a href="./mod/mod_so.html">mod_so</a></code></li></ul></td><td><ul><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#ifmodule"><IfModule></a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/mod_so.html#loadmodule">LoadModule</a></code></li></ul></td></tr></table>
63 <p>Apache is a modular server. This implies that only the most
64 basic functionality is included in the core server. Extended
65 features are available through <a href="mod/index-bytype.html">modules</a> which can be loaded
66 into Apache. By default, a <a href="mod/module-dict.html#Status">base</a> set of modules is
67 included in the server at compile-time. If the server is
68 compiled to use <a href="dso.html">dynamically loaded</a>
69 modules, then modules can be compiled separately and added at
70 any time using the <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/mod_so.html#loadmodule">LoadModule</a></code>
72 Otherwise, Apache must be recompiled to add or remove modules.
73 Configuration directives may be included conditional on a
74 presence of a particular module by enclosing them in an<code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#ifmodule"><IfModule></a></code> block.</p>
76 <p>To see which modules are currently compiled into the server,
77 you can use the <code>-l</code> command line option.</p>
78 </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="./images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="scope" id="scope">Scope of Directives</a></h2>
81 <table class="related"><tr><th>Related Modules</th><th>Related Directives</th></tr><tr><td /><td><ul><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#directory"><Directory></a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#directorymatch"><DirectoryMatch></a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#files"><Files></a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#filesmatch"><FilesMatch></a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#location"><Location></a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#locationmatch"><LocationMatch></a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#virtualhost"><VirtualHost></a></code></li></ul></td></tr></table>
83 <p>Directives placed in the main configuration files apply to
84 the entire server. If you wish to change the configuration for
85 only a part of the server, you can scope your directives by
86 placing them in <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#directory"><Directory></a></code>, <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#directorymatch"><DirectoryMatch></a></code>, <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#files"><Files></a></code>, <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#filesmatch"><FilesMatch></a></code>, <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#location"><Location></a></code>, and <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#locationmatch"><LocationMatch></a></code>
87 sections. These sections limit the application of the
88 directives which they enclose to particular filesystem
89 locations or URLs. They can also be nested, allowing for very
90 fine grained configuration.</p>
92 <p>Apache has the capability to serve many different websites
93 simultaneously. This is called <a href="vhosts/">Virtual
94 Hosting</a>. Directives can also be scoped by placing them
95 inside <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#virtualhost"><VirtualHost></a></code>
96 sections, so that they will only apply to requests for a
97 particular website.</p>
99 <p>Although most directives can be placed in any of these
100 sections, some directives do not make sense in some contexts.
101 For example, directives controlling process creation can only
102 be placed in the main server context. To find which directives
103 can be placed in which sections, check the <a href="mod/directive-dict.html#Context">Context</a> of the
104 directive. For further information, we provide details on <a href="sections.html">How Directory, Location and Files sections
106 </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="./images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="htaccess" id="htaccess">.htaccess Files</a></h2>
109 <table class="related"><tr><th>Related Modules</th><th>Related Directives</th></tr><tr><td /><td><ul><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#accessfilename">AccessFileName</a></code></li><li><code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#allowoverride">AllowOverride</a></code></li></ul></td></tr></table>
111 <p>Apache allows for decentralized management of configuration
112 via special files placed inside the web tree. The special files
113 are usually called <code>.htaccess</code>, but any name can be
114 specified in the <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#accessfilename">AccessFileName</a></code>
115 directive. Directives placed in <code>.htaccess</code> files
116 apply to the directory where you place the file, and all
117 sub-directories. The <code>.htaccess</code> files follow the
118 same syntax as the main configuration files. Since
119 <code>.htaccess</code> files are read on every request, changes
120 made in these files take immediate effect.</p>
122 <p>To find which directives can be placed in
123 <code>.htaccess</code> files, check the <a href="mod/directive-dict.html#Context">Context</a> of the
124 directive. The server administrator further controls what
125 directives may be placed in <code>.htaccess</code> files by
126 configuring the <code class="directive"><a href="./mod/core.html#allowoverride">AllowOverride</a></code>
127 directive in the main configuration files.</p>
129 <p>For more information on <code>.htaccess</code> files, see
130 Ken Coar's tutorial on <a href="http://apache-server.com/tutorials/ATusing-htaccess.html">
131 Using .htaccess Files with Apache</a>.</p>
132 </div></div><div id="footer"><p class="apache">Maintained by the <a href="http://httpd.apache.org/docs-project/">Apache HTTP Server Documentation Project</a></p><p class="menu"><a href="./mod/">Modules</a> | <a href="./mod/directives.html">Directives</a> | <a href="./faq/">FAQ</a> | <a href="./glossary.html">Glossary</a> | <a href="./sitemap.html">Sitemap</a></p></div></body></html>