What does apache actually do?

I installed WAMP on the home computer, and will very slowly get my head around as much of it as I can (slowly because I find it too boring to spend too much time on any given night on it, but it's a means to an end). I've got a bookmarked tutorial on setting up various parts of it at home, can't seem to find it on google at work...

But I want to understand it all too. Where do I start? Any good explanations on the web that you know of that start from the VERY beginning? Or do I have to buy some books... what books?!

At the end I want to be able to set up and configure and troubleshoot to a degree a cms website that I want to build. But I want to know what I'm doing, not just fly the seat of my pants.

Erm it's a web server app. It...serves...web...content.

Other such software: IIS, lighttpd.

You shouldn't need to care about Apache to trouble shoot a CMS app. Editing config files is as complex as it gets. TBH it sounds like a lot of long boring studying for pretty much no benefit.

Kris is right.

You need some kind of database software (MySQL)
Some kind of Webserver (Apache, IIS)
A CMS (Joomla, Moveable Type, Wordpress)

If you don't care to learn all the web server stuff, download a program like XMAPP, which is like a web server + database server all in one and takes much of the hassle out of initially setting up a website (ie don't need to setup PHP etc) if you just want to toy around with a website on your home pc.

If you do want to learn the webserver stuff, find a patient nerd friend to teach you, or do a short course, there are plenty available that'll give you a good grounding in web app stuff.

Once you've figured out how to run a site (and it really isn't as hard as it sounds, esp if you know a little html & php) you should spend most of your time learning the intricacies of a CMS. Given that most webhosting is pretty straightforward these days, you are better off spending more of your time on really knowing a CMS and how it works from top to bottom.

I've taught myself everything I know, and I'm doin ok at it all. Personally I prefer Joomla, as its open source and far and away the most flexible CMS, with literally thousands of addons & plugins that will let you do just about anything you could want to do on a website. Documentation is sometimes a bit sketchy, but there is a big community with help and support if you need it.

Hope that helps, Good luck! If you decide to use Joomla and get stuck, flick me a PM and I'll see if I can help out.

Thanks guys, it comes as a bit of a relief that I don't have to learn everything...

So far I've made some static websites using HTML/CSS javascript and Flash (no actionscipt), but yeah want to take the next step. PHP you say? How much do I need to know?

simple php is dead easy to learn.

I have a few books floating around, and there are great resources of the web like alistapart.com


But my advice is DON'T INSTALL APACHE ON YOUR WINDOWS MACHINE. there are a number of reasons for not doing this, but just take my word for it.

If you don't care about learning to build your own LAMP then just download Vmware Player, and download a LAMP in VM form. I suggest grandma Lamp cause it's a piece of piss to use.

oh, and another recommendation for Joomla too

Well that is just dumb n00b advise. What are these reasons?

I think there are a number of advantages to keeping the PC you use everyday and your test webserver separate.

and then there are also little things like mod_rewrite doesn't work on windows (or at least it didn't work on the last windows version of apache I looked at. I don't know if they've changed it now)

Found a great resource to pass my spare moments away today:
http://devzone.zend.com/node/view/id/627

Sorry neil I misread your post a little ... I think. Thought you said not to use Apache on Windows at all.

if you want to get into php this is a great book to start with http://www.friendsofed.com/book.html?isbn=1590597311

for a PHP cms.

simple -> complex sites

wordpress -> joomla -> drupal

Generally, custom field integration is where most cms's have issues. However, wordpress and joomla are getting better in this area.

if you want to fork out some cash and want a system that is extremely design and user friendly then check out ExpressionEngine. There is a bit of a learning curve but definitely a very cool system.

Thank you, I will check the book and the CMS out, they look interesting

Use a VM.

A bit late, I installed it on the weekend...

What problems exactly? Problems with the the operating system or problems with the wamp apps?

Just wondering if I can continue on my merry way for now and later on do it in VM...

There are likely weird and wonderful differences between the way Apache on Windows works, and Apache on *nix works. In fact LOTS of CMS type shit I have seen in the past say "Use Apache on *nix. It might work on Windows. Probably not"

You're never ever ever going to find Apache on Windows out in the wild.

I see Apache running on Windows boxes allll the time.

Me too. Never on prod though

Yeah, that's what I suggested in the first post.


And on apache on windows: yeah, apache runs fine on windows, but there are some annoying things that the windows version does, for example, the lack of mod_rewrite on the version.

But pro and cons of running on windows aside, I think there are advantages to setting up a test server that is as similar as possible to what you actually server will be. And that means LAMP, not WAMP.