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This guide covers a complete HTTP setup, local testing before DNS changes, the reason the default Apache page sometimes appears, and the extra configuration required for HTTPS.
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What an Apache virtual host does
A virtual host is a named Apache configuration for one website. A typical block tells Apache three things: which hostname to recognize, which additional names should reach the same site, and which directory contains the files to serve.
With name-based virtual hosting, several domains share one server address. DNS sends each domain to that address; the browser includes the requested hostname in its HTTP request; Apache compares that name with ServerName and ServerAlias, then serves the matching DocumentRoot. Name-based hosting is usually simpler than assigning a separate IP address to every site.
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How Apache chooses a site
Apache first groups virtual hosts by the most specific local address and port, such as *:80 for ordinary HTTP. Within that group it compares the request hostname against each ServerName and ServerAlias. If no name matches, Apache sends the request to the first virtual host listed for that address and port.
That fallback rule explains the familiar Apache default page: the request reached your server, but the hostname did not match the intended site, or the default file appears first in the parsed configuration. The command sudo apachectl -S shows the order Apache actually uses, rather than the order you assume from filenames.
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- An Ubuntu server with administrative access through
sudo. - A hostname you want to serve, such as
example.com, and any aliases such aswww.example.com. - A planned document directory, for example
/var/www/example.com. - Port 80 reachable for HTTP testing. HTTPS will use a separate port-443 virtual host later.
Decide whether the site should be publicly reachable immediately. Public access requires DNS records that resolve the hostname to the server address. A temporary hosts-file override is useful for testing from one computer, but it does not publish the name for anyone else.
Install Apache and confirm the service
If Apache is not installed, install the Ubuntu package and start the service:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2
sudo systemctl enable --now apache2Check that the service is running:
sudo systemctl status apache2On a new installation, browsing to the server address normally displays Ubuntu’s Apache default page. That confirms the web server is responding, but it does not yet confirm that your own virtual host is selected.
Create a separate directory for the site
Keep each website in its own document root. Create the directory and a small index file so that a successful test is unmistakable:
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sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example.com
sudo sh -c 'printf "%sn" "Example.com virtual host is working" > /var/www/example.com/index.html'The directory name is your choice; it does not have to match the domain, but using the domain makes a multi-site server easier to maintain. The path in this command must exactly match the DocumentRoot value you will place in the configuration.
Write the virtual-host file
Ubuntu keeps available site definitions in /etc/apache2/sites-available. Create a file named after the hostname:
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/example.com.confPut this block in the file:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName example.com
ServerAlias www.example.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>What each directive means
<VirtualHost *:80>places the site in the HTTP virtual-host group on port 80. The asterisk means Apache accepts the site on the server’s available addresses.ServerName example.comis the primary hostname Apache should match.ServerAlias www.example.comadds another name for the same content. Add every additional hostname you intend to use; an omitted alias will not match.DocumentRoot /var/www/example.comidentifies the directory Apache serves.ErrorLogandCustomLoggive this site separate error and access logs under Apache’s log directory.
Save the file exactly as shown, including the closing </VirtualHost> line. A misspelled directive, hostname, or path can prevent the intended site from loading.
Enable the site and decide what to do with the default host
Creating a file in sites-available does not activate it. Enable the definition with:
sudo a2ensite example.com.confFor a controlled test, you can disable Ubuntu’s default site:
sudo a2dissite 000-default.confDisabling the default host is not mandatory. It can be useful while diagnosing an individual site, but a deliberate fallback virtual host is often preferable on a production server so unmatched requests receive a controlled response instead of an unintended website.
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Validate Apache’s parsed configuration
Check the syntax before reloading:
sudo apachectl configtestA successful result should report Syntax OK. If Apache reports an error, correct the referenced file and line before continuing.
Next, inspect the complete virtual-host map:
sudo apachectl -SThis output shows which files define each address-and-port group, the first host in each group, and the names Apache has associated with every virtual host. Use it to catch duplicate names, a misspelled ServerName, a missing alias, or an unexpected default file listed before your site.
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Apply a valid configuration with a reload:
sudo systemctl reload apache2A reload makes Apache read the updated definitions while avoiding the full stop-and-start cycle of a restart. If a reload fails or the service is in a bad state, use:
sudo systemctl restart apache2Restarting is more disruptive because the service is fully restarted, so use reload for routine virtual-host edits and reserve restart for cases where reload is insufficient.
Point DNS to the server
Apache cannot make a public hostname resolve. At your DNS provider, create the appropriate A record for an IPv4 address and/or AAAA record for an IPv6 address, pointing the hostname to the server’s address. The exact DNS interface and propagation behavior depend on the provider.
The hostname must resolve to this server before visitors elsewhere can reach the virtual host. If DNS still points to an old server, Apache on the new server will never receive the request, regardless of how correct its configuration is.
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Test locally before changing public DNS
For a test from one client computer, add a temporary hosts-file entry mapping the hostname to the server address. The file location depends on the client operating system. On Ubuntu and other Linux systems it is /etc/hosts; on Windows it is under the system directory’s hosts file.
A hosts-file entry affects only the machine where it is stored. It is therefore suitable for checking the page, logs, and routing before public DNS changes, but it is not a substitute for an A or AAAA record.
Verify that the intended host is being served
Test with the exact hostname, not only the numeric IP address. A browser request to the IP may select the first virtual host because it does not provide a matching name.
From a client that resolves the name correctly, open http://example.com and, if configured, http://www.example.com. Confirm that both names display the test file from /var/www/example.com.
You can also make an explicit HTTP request from the server or another Linux client:
curl -H 'Host: example.com' http://SERVER_IP/Replace SERVER_IP with the server address. Supplying the Host header tests Apache’s name matching even when public DNS has not changed. To test the alias, substitute www.example.com in the header.
Why you still see the Apache default page
The default page is a routing symptom, not proof that the site file was ignored. Work through these checks in order:
- Confirm the requested hostname. Make sure the browser address, curl
Hostheader, andServerNameuse the same spelling. A request for a name that is not listed will fall back to the first host. - Check aliases. If you configured only
example.combut visitwww.example.com, add the latter as aServerAliasand reload Apache. - Inspect the parsed order. Run
sudo apachectl -S. Verify that the intended file appears in the*:80group and note which host is first. - Confirm the site is enabled. Run
sudo a2ensite example.com.conf, then reload. Editing a file that remains only insites-availablehas no effect. - Check DNS or the hosts override. If the hostname resolves to another address, your request is reaching a different machine. For a local test, verify the temporary hosts-file line points to this server.
- Check the document root. Ensure
/var/www/example.comexists and contains the expected index file. A correct hostname with an incorrect path cannot display the intended content.
Adding a second or third website
Repeat the same pattern for every domain, using a different directory and configuration file. For a second site:
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sudo sh -c 'printf "%sn" "Second site is working" > /var/www/second.example/index.html'
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/second.example.confUse a separate block:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName second.example
DocumentRoot /var/www/second.example
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/second.example-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/second.example-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>Enable it, validate the map, and reload:
sudo a2ensite second.example.conf
sudo apachectl configtest
sudo apachectl -S
sudo systemctl reload apache2Give each site a distinct ServerName, document root, and log filename. DNS for each public hostname must point to the same server address, while Apache separates the requests by hostname.
Name-based versus IP-based virtual hosting
| Approach | Addressing model | Operational implication |
|---|---|---|
| Name-based | Multiple hostnames share one IP address; Apache matches the hostname in the request. | Usually simpler because DNS can map several names to one address. |
| IP-based | Each virtual host uses a separate IP address. | Requires additional addresses and a configuration organized around those addresses. |
This guide uses name-based hosting because it is the normal choice when several websites share one Ubuntu server address.
HTTP and HTTPS virtual hosts
HTTPS is a separate listener and configuration. Create or enable a virtual host for port 443 and add the certificate and private-key paths supplied by your certificate issuer. The HTTP block on port 80 does not automatically provide encrypted service.
When a browser starts TLS, it can send the requested hostname through Server Name Indication (SNI). Apache uses that hostname to select the appropriate SSL virtual host, allowing multiple HTTPS sites to share an address when their certificates and port-443 definitions are correctly configured.
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A conceptual HTTPS block has the same naming and document-root directives as the HTTP block, plus certificate settings:
<VirtualHost *:443>
ServerName example.com
ServerAlias www.example.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com
SSLEngine on
SSLCertificateFile /path/from/certificate-issuer/certificate.pem
SSLCertificateKeyFile /path/from/certificate-issuer/private-key.pem
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-ssl-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-ssl-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>The certificate authority determines how certificates are issued and renewed; those steps vary by issuer and are outside the basic virtual-host procedure. Do not copy the example paths literally: replace them with the paths provided for your certificate.
Useful comparison of common choices
| Choice | What it changes | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Reload | Applies the new configuration without a full service restart. | Routine virtual-host edits after a successful syntax check. |
| Restart | Stops and starts Apache completely. | When a reload is insufficient or the service needs a full restart. |
| Public DNS | Makes the hostname resolve for users on the internet. | After the server configuration is ready for public access. |
| Hosts-file override | Changes name resolution only on one client machine. | Private pre-DNS testing. |
| HTTP on port 80 | Provides basic name-based routing without certificates. | Initial setup and connectivity checks. |
| HTTPS on port 443 | Adds TLS certificates and SNI-aware SSL virtual-host selection. | Encrypted production traffic. |
Final deployment checklist
- Apache is installed and its service is running.
- Each site has a separate directory and a recognizable index file.
- The configuration file is under
/etc/apache2/sites-available. ServerName, every requiredServerAlias, andDocumentRootare spelled correctly.- The site is enabled with
a2ensite. sudo apachectl configtestreports a valid configuration.sudo apachectl -Sshows the expected names and fallback order.- Apache has been reloaded after the change.
- DNS A/AAAA records point the public names to this server, or a temporary hosts-file entry is in place for local testing.
- HTTPS has its own port-443 block and issuer-provided certificate paths.
Once those checks pass, Apache can host multiple domains on one Ubuntu server while keeping each site’s files, logs, and hostname mapping separate.
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