a2enconf

Enable a configuration file

$ sudo a2enconf [configuration_file]

$ sudo a2enconf [[-q|--quiet]] [configuration_file]

a2enconf [-q] [-m] <conf>

conf
    The name of the configuration file (without the .conf extension) to enable. This file must exist in /etc/apache2/conf-available/.

-q
    Quiet mode; suppress all messages and output from the command.

-m
    Do not show the informational message about needing to reload Apache after making changes.

The a2enconf command is a utility script used on Debian-based Linux distributions (like Ubuntu) to enable an Apache 2 web server configuration file. Apache 2 on these systems organizes its configuration into conf-available and conf-enabled directories. Configuration files located in conf-available are inactive and not loaded by the server.

a2enconf creates a symbolic link from a specified configuration file in conf-available to the conf-enabled directory. This action effectively activates the configuration, making it part of the Apache server's loaded settings. After enabling a configuration, the Apache web server must be reloaded or restarted for the changes to take effect.

This command is part of a suite of helper scripts (including a2enmod, a2dismod, a2ensite, a2dissite) designed to simplify Apache configuration management. It helps administrators activate or deactivate specific configurations, modules, or virtual hosts without directly manipulating symbolic links, which reduces the risk of errors and standardizes the configuration process. It is commonly used for activating general Apache settings like charset.conf, security.conf, or other custom .conf files.

Caveats:
• Requires root privileges (e.g., using sudo) to execute.
• Does not automatically reload or restart the Apache web server. You must manually reload or restart Apache (e.g., sudo systemctl reload apache2) for the changes to take effect.
• Only works with configuration files located in the /etc/apache2/conf-available/ directory. Ensure the file you intend to enable exists there.
• The command creates a symbolic link; any actual configuration changes or edits need to be made in the original file within conf-available/, not in conf-enabled/.

After successfully running a2enconf, it is crucial to reload or restart the Apache web server for the newly enabled configuration to take effect. Apache does not automatically detect these changes. This is typically done using commands such as sudo systemctl reload apache2 (for systems using systemd) or sudo service apache2 reload (for older init systems).

Configuration files managed by a2enconf are initially stored in the /etc/apache2/conf-available/ directory. When a configuration is enabled, a2enconf creates a symbolic link from this location to /etc/apache2/conf-enabled/, which is the directory Apache reads upon startup or reload. Conversely, a2disconf removes this symbolic link.

The a2enconf command, along with its counterparts like a2enmod and a2ensite, was developed as part of the Apache2 package on Debian and Ubuntu distributions. Its purpose is to streamline and standardize the management of Apache configurations by abstracting the symbolic link creation process, thus promoting a modular and less error-prone approach to server setup. This method simplifies enabling and disabling specific components of the web server.

a2disconf(8), a2enmod(8), a2dismod(8), a2ensite(8), a2dissite(8), apachectl(8), systemctl(1)