apache

Start Apache in the foreground

$ apachectl start

$ apachectl graceful-stop

$ apachectl graceful

$ apachectl configtest

$ apachectl -v

$ apachectl -l

$ apachectl -M

$ apachectl fullstatus

apachectl command
httpd [-d serverroot] [-f config] [-D parameter]

Apache HTTP Server (httpd) is the world's most widely used web server software. It serves static and dynamic content over HTTP/HTTPS, supporting virtual hosting, URL rewriting, authentication, and extensive module-based extensibility.
The apachectl script provides a convenient interface for controlling the Apache daemon. It wraps the httpd binary with init-script-style commands for starting, stopping, and managing the server.
Configuration is primarily done through httpd.conf and related files in the Apache configuration directory. The modular architecture allows enabling features like SSL/TLS (modssl), URL rewriting (modrewrite), proxying (modproxy), and dynamic content via CGI, PHP, or modwsgi.
Apache supports two primary Multi-Processing Modules: prefork (process-based) for compatibility and event/worker (threaded) for higher concurrency.

start

Start the Apache httpd daemon.

Stop the daemon immediately.

Restart the daemon (abort current connections).

Gracefully restart (finish current requests, then restart).

Gracefully stop (finish current requests, then stop).

Check configuration file syntax.

Show version number.

Show version and build parameters.

List compiled-in modules.

List all loaded modules (static and shared).

Test configuration syntax.

Show parsed virtual host settings.

Specify an alternate configuration file.

Define a parameter for use in configuration conditionals.

Configuration changes require a restart or reload. Syntax errors in configuration files prevent startup; always run configtest first. The graceful restart is preferred for production to avoid dropping active connections. Log files can grow large and require rotation.

The Apache HTTP Server originated from the NCSA HTTPd server at the University of Illinois. In 1995, a group of developers began collaborating on patches, leading to the "patchy server" name that became Apache. The Apache Software Foundation was formed in 1999 to support its development. Apache dominated web server market share for over two decades, though nginx has gained significant ground since 2010.

nginx(8), httpd(8), htpasswd(1), ab(1)