Can someone explain in depth what Apache is?

Me and a buddy of mine have wanted to set up a website for some time for no other reason than we want to. I've started learning all the things I can do with all the different coding languages and such and its really incredible some of the things I've seen people do on their sites.

Now can someone explain what Apache is and why its so darn important? I tried finding out more but was probably looking in all the wrong places. I'd appreciate any help.

Also, I read something about "developing locally". Can I actually set up PHP and MySQL databases on my computer and then develop my site off of my personal computer until I have a host and can upload it there?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

"apache" is the program that delivers the webpages to your clients. Also it runs the PHP interpreter that will interpret your scripts so they can connect to the MySQL server. so it is somewhat "essential", eh?


yes. install apache locally

the important part here is: if you don´t have apache, your .php files will not be run

Can you give me a link to where I can download apache? I searched for it and I'm not sure what I am finding is the right apache that we're all talking about. I want to be sure I am installing the right thing. Does apache have a main website for the program? Thanks for helping me out.

P.S.: So web hosts that support PHP and MySQL all have apache installed to help run bot PHP and MySQL?

Thanks again.

~Kevin

That's the most common setup: PHP, MySQL, and Apache Web Server. However, there are a lot of web servers, so it may very well be that SOME of them use something stupid like IIS.

Apache is actually the foundation that MAKES the server if you want to be really technical about it. Hence, the server's name on most systems is actually "httpd" (I think Windoze is still the only system where the binary is actually called "Apache"). URL:

http://httpd.apache.org/

http://httpd.apache.org BUT, if I were you i would look on http://www.firepages.com.au/ which is somewhat a package of dev stuff.

Apache is a web server, it's not the web server - there are many others (pws, iis, zeus to name a few), but apache is the most powerful and flexible of them all. And most popular too (~60% of internet ran it last time I checked)

well, if you want to get *really* technical about it, tarfile is named httpd, but folder from it is still called apache-x-xx-xx

Nope. My tarfile's name is apache-1.3.27.tar.

The folder it expands to is also named apache-1.3.27 (well.. duh).

HOWEVER, I installed it to /www and /usr/sbin . No mention of apache anywhere there!

Besides... if you try to which or locate apache you probably won't find anything.

1.3* ones were apache.tar.gz but 2.* ones are httpd.tar.gz. I think