Apache: The Definitive Guide [Paperback]

Ben Laurie (Author), Peter Laurie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 8, 1997

The freeware Apache Web server runs on about half of the world's existing Web sites, and it is rapidly increasing in popularity. Apache: The Definitive Guide, written and reviewed by key members of the Apache Group, describes how to obtain, set up, and secure the Apache software.

Apache was originally based on code and ideas found in the most popular HTTP server of the time: NCSA httpd 1.3 (early 1995). It has since evolved into a far superior system that can rival (and probably surpass) almost any other UNIX-based HTTP server in terms of functionality, efficiency, and speed. It has several new features (among which are highly configurable error messages, DBM-based authentication databases, and content negotiation). It also offers dramatically improved performance and fixes many bugs in the NCSA 1.3 code.

Contents include:

• The history of the Apache Group
• Obtaining and compiling the server
• Configuring and running Apache, including such topics as directory structures, virtual hosts, and CGI programming
• The Apache Module API
• Apache security
• A complete list of configuration

With Apache: The Definitive Guide, Web administrators new to Apache can come up to speed more quickly than ever before by working through the tutorial demo. Experienced administrators and CGI programmers will find the reference sections indispensable. Apache: The Definitive Guide is the definitive documentation for the world's most popular Web server. Includes CD-ROM with Apache manuals and demo sites discussed in the book.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

With distributions for both Unix and 32-bit Windows environments, the Apache Web server boasts reliability, security, and scalability--and it's free. Apache: The Definitive Guide shows Apache administrators how to perform their jobs, detailing the server through version 1.3.

The authors--one of them a member of the Apache development team--begin with an academic discussion of what Web servers do before walking the reader through the process of installing Apache. Installation gets much attention--readers find out, step by step, how to set up a Web site (or several) under Apache, and how to set up Web site security and other preferences properly. The book also provides in-depth discussions of particular aspects of Apache operation, including MIME handling, the Common Gateway Interface (CGI), and security features such as authentication and caching.

For the programmers in the crowd, this book documents the Apache API with discussions of resource pools and their allocation, plus a full API reference. A tutorial explains how to write Apache extension modules in C. In all matters, Apache: The Definitive Guide covers both Unix and Win32 machines, but it places more emphasis on the Unix port. The complete source code of Apache 1.3 appears on the CD-ROM that ships with the book. --David Wall --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'Co-authored by Ben Laurie, one of the elite of programmers who code Apache, this really is the definitive text on how to get and use the Apache Web Server.... This is a clear road map for anyone considering setting up an Apache web server and an indispensable reference for all Apache users.' - Pat Crawford, Computer Bulletin, May 2000 'I have no reason to doubt its claim as the definitive guide and the 2nd edition is probably justified. If your intention is to use Apache, then Lauries' book is probably not just definitive, but essential. It takes the reader through from the design of the simplest possible 'hello world' site to a complex application involving on-line forms etc.' - Joe McCool, Cvu, January 2000 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media (March 8, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565922506
• ISBN-13: 978-1565922501
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,831,461 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Windows geeks may not get it, but UNIX/LINUX geeks will., August 2, 1999

By 

R. Shepard "New PMP" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apache: The Definitive Guide (Paperback)

I am a computer professional and I got the book in order to install and run Apache on our company web servers. I do know my way around UNIX and NT, but I'm no system administrator.

I was shocked at the bad reviews. I found this book to be a great read and organized as should be.

The only reason I think someone would not like this book is if they are use to GUI tools in the Windows world. If you know UNIX/LINUX and aren't scared of OS command lines, this book is great.

If you are a Windows geek, this book may not be that great, but let's face it, Apache and TCP/IP is UNIX at it's best.

I found this book a good training source and reference manual.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Useful for Apache beginners, March 12, 2000

By 

Liam Gretton (Leicester, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apache: The Definitive Guide (Paperback)

As O'Reilly books go, Apache: The Definitive Guide is really rather weak. There's enough information to get an Apache installation up and running, but there's nowhere near enough depth for it to be called a 'definitive' guide. It's also a little out of date.

A far better book is Wrox's 'Professional Apache' which covers everything the O'Reilly book does and much more.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars it's good for linux user, December 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Apache: The Definitive Guide (Paperback)

This is a very good book for apache. When I first got the book, I agreed with other readers' complain of poor organization. However, after 1 hour of reading it, I began to realized that I was wrong. The unique part of this book is that instead of teaching you about install and configure apache on the first shot. It actually teaches you the more detailed configuration by trying different option one at a time. This way, you learn more about the internal of the apache instead of compile and install based on the original options set by apache.org. This way, you can avoid many problems that might occur later on. By the way, if you don't know much about linux/unix, don't bother to install apache on a linux/unix machine.