Apache Isn't Dead (And Here's Why I Still Use It)

Everyone’s on the Nginx train these days, but Apache still runs a massive part of the web. Here’s why it keeps coming back into my workflow.

What I Like About It

Apache is modular. Site configs stay in one folder, flip them on when ready, off when not. Same with modules. One command each way.

Settings That Matter

KeepAlive - Keep it on. Otherwise every image and script opens a fresh connection.

Timeout - Default 300 seconds is too much. I use 30-60.

Setting Up a Site

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/mysite
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/mysite.conf

Config:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName mysite.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/mysite
</VirtualHost>

Enable it:

sudo a2ensite mysite.conf
sudo apache2ctl configtest
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Modules I Use

sudo a2enmod rewrite ssl headers deflate

When It Breaks

sudo apache2ctl configtest
sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/error.log

Usually a typo.

Bottom Line

For WordPress, .htaccess stuff, or general hosting - Apache’s still solid. Use what works.