apachectl

Control the Apache HTTP Server

TLDR

Start the server

$ sudo apachectl start

Restart the server

$ sudo apachectl restart

Stop the server

$ sudo apachectl stop

Test configuration file validity

$ apachectl configtest

Check server status (requires lynx browser)

$ apachectl status

Reload configuration without dropping connections

$ sudo apachectl graceful

Print full Apache configuration

$ apachectl -S

SYNOPSIS

apachectl command
apachectl [httpd-argument]

apachectl is a front end to the Apache HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server designed to help administrators manage the Apache daemon. It can operate in SysV init mode with simple commands or pass arguments directly to httpd.

PARAMETERS

start

Start the Apache daemon

stop

Stop the Apache daemon

restart

Restart Apache; starts if not running

graceful

Graceful restart without terminating active connections

graceful-stop

Graceful stop without aborting current connections

configtest

Validate syntax in configuration files

status

Display brief operational status (requires lynx and mod_status)

fullstatus

Display comprehensive status report

-S

Print full Apache configuration (parsed vhosts)

-t

Test configuration syntax

-M

List loaded modules

-h

Display help

CONFIGURATION

/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

Main configuration file on RHEL/CentOS/Fedora systems.

/etc/apache2/apache2.conf

Main configuration file on Debian/Ubuntu systems.

/etc/httpd/conf.d/

Directory for additional configuration files on RHEL-based systems.

/etc/apache2/sites-available/

Virtual host configuration files on Debian-based systems.

CAVEATS

The status and fullstatus commands require the lynx text browser and mod_status to be enabled.

HISTORY

Part of the Apache HTTP Server project, developed by the Apache Software Foundation since 1995.