Editing Apache HTTP Server (section)

{{Short description|Open-source web server software}}
{{Technical|date=September 2010}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Apache HTTP Server
| logo = Apache HTTP server logo (2019-present).svg
| screenshot = 
| caption = 
| author = [[Robert McCool]]
| developer = [[Apache Software Foundation]]
| released = {{Start date and age|1995}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://httpd.apache.org/ABOUT_APACHE.html|title=About the Apache HTTP Server Project|publisher=[[Apache Software Foundation]]|access-date=2008-06-25|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080607122013/http://httpd.apache.org/ABOUT_APACHE.html|archive-date= 7 June 2008 |url-status= live}}</ref>
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q11354|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|{{#time:Y|{{#invoke:wd|qualifier|raw|P348|P577}}}}|{{#time:m|{{#invoke:wd|qualifier|raw|P348|P577}}}}|{{#time:d|{{#invoke:wd|qualifier|raw|P348|P577}}}}}}
| latest preview version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q11354|P348|P548=Q51930650}}
| latest preview date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q11354|P348|P548=Q51930650|P577}}
| operating system = [[Unix-like]], [[Microsoft Windows]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Compiling and Installing|url=https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/install.html|website=httpd.apache.org|publisher=The Apache Software Foundation|access-date=9 May 2016|archive-date=7 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507054137/http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/install.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[OpenVMS]]
| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://projects-old.apache.org/indexes/language.html |title=Apache Software Foundation Index: Projects by Programming Language Index |access-date=2016-02-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302011644/http://projects-old.apache.org/indexes/language.html |archive-date=2016-03-02 }}</ref> 
| genre = [[Web server]]
| license = [[Apache License|Apache-2.0]]
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}

The '''Apache HTTP Server''' ({{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|p|æ|tʃ|i}} {{Respell|ə|PATCH|ee}}) is a [[free and open-source software|free and open-source]] cross-platform [[web server]], released under the terms of [[Apache License|Apache License 2.0]]. It is developed and maintained by a community of developers under the auspices of the [[Apache Software Foundation]].

The vast majority of Apache HTTP Server instances run on a [[Linux distribution]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://secure1.securityspace.com/s_survey/data/man.201808/apacheos.html|title=OS/Linux Distributions using Apache|website=secure1.securityspace.com|access-date=2018-09-17|archive-date=2018-09-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918054337/https://secure1.securityspace.com/s_survey/data/man.201808/apacheos.html|url-status=live}}</ref> but current versions also run on [[Microsoft Windows]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/platform/index.html.en|title=Platform Specific Notes - Apache HTTP Server Version 2.4|website=httpd.apache.org|access-date=2019-01-21|archive-date=2019-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122044008/https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/platform/index.html.en|url-status=live}}</ref> [[OpenVMS]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vmssoftware.com/products/secure-web-server/|title=Secure Web Server|access-date=2020-10-20|website=vmssoftware.com|archive-date=2020-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022051216/https://vmssoftware.com/products/secure-web-server/|url-status=live}}</ref> and a wide variety of [[Unix-like]] systems. Past versions also ran on [[NetWare]], [[OS/2]] and other operating systems,<ref name=older/> including ports to mainframes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/platform/ebcdic.html.en|title=The Apache EBCDIC Port - Apache HTTP Server Version 2.4|website=httpd.apache.org|access-date=2019-08-16|archive-date=2019-02-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227063613/http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/platform/ebcdic.html.en|url-status=live}}</ref>

Originally based on the [[NCSA HTTPd]] server, development of Apache began in early 1995 after work on the NCSA code stalled.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About the Apache HTTP Server Project - The Apache HTTP Server Project |url=https://httpd.apache.org/ABOUT_APACHE.html |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=httpd.apache.org}}</ref> Apache played a key role in the initial growth of the [[World Wide Web]],<ref>[http://news.netcraft.com/archives/web_server_survey.html Netcraft Market Share] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100520142533/http://news.netcraft.com/archives/web_server_survey.html |date=2010-05-20 }} for Top Servers Across All Domains August 1995 - today (monthly updated)</ref> quickly overtaking NCSA HTTPd as the dominant [[HTTP]] server. In 2009, it became the first web server software to serve more than 100 million [[website]]s.<ref name="100millionsites">{{Cite web|url=https://news.netcraft.com/archives/2009/02/18/february_2009_web_server_survey.html|title=February 2009 Web Server Survey|date=18 February 2009 |publisher=[[Netcraft]]|access-date=2009-03-29|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090226092501/http://news.netcraft.com//archives//2009//02//18//february_2009_web_server_survey.html|archive-date= 26 February 2009 |url-status= live}}</ref>

{{As of|2025|03}}, [[Netcraft]] estimated that Apache served 17.83% of the million busiest websites, with the other top four being [[Cloudflare]] at 22.99%, [[Nginx]] at 20.11%, and [[Microsoft]] [[Internet Information Services]] at 4.16%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=March 2025 Web Server Survey |url=https://www.netcraft.com/blog/march-2025-web-server-survey/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=Netcraft News |date=25 March 2025 |language=en-gb |archive-date=2025-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401132934/https://www.netcraft.com/blog/march-2025-web-server-survey/ |url-status=live }}</ref> According to W3Techs' review of all web sites, in April 2025 Apache was ranked second at 26.4% and Nginx first at 33.8%, with Cloudflare Server third at 23.5%.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/web_server |title=Usage Statistics of Web Servers |website=w3techs.com |access-date=2025-04-14}}</ref>