What is the Apache HTTP Server?
The Apache HTTP Server from the Apache Software Foundation is the most widely used web server in the world. As open source and free software, it is continuously being developed and it is estimated that more than half of all websites are hosted on an Apache server.
The development
Originating from the optimization of existing server software by a group of developers in the USA in 1995, the Apache server supports a variety of operating systems. It enables the creation of dynamic websites using server-side scripting languages such as PHP, Perl or Ruby. The server provides documents in response to client requests and uses transmission protocols such as http and the IP and TCP network protocols.
Modular design for flexibility
The modular structure of the Apache server makes it easy to expand. Modules that can be activated or deactivated allow flexible customization, including those for access control, scaling of access options, index creation and management of connections to proxy servers. Well-known modules such as mod_rewrite, mod_ssl, mod_headers and mod_deflate are used most frequently.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Apache web server is characterized by extraordinary flexibility, which makes it an outstanding advantage. Users who work with Apache software today benefit from extensive documentation and the advantages of an open source system. This enables Apache to be continuously developed and to be the most widely used server worldwide. This popularity opens up numerous search engine optimization options for SEO experts, as the software is compatible with many common scripting languages and databases and supports various operating systems such as Unix, Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, Netware or OpenBSD.
However, there is the disadvantage of comparatively poor performance with numerous simultaneous accesses. There is also a risk that the IT security of persons with corresponding server rights may be compromised.
Apache and SEO
The Apache web server offers considerable advantages for search engine optimization (SEO) thanks to modules such as mod_rewrite. Dynamic URLs can be converted into search engine-friendly formats, and the server supports redirects such as the 301 redirect to avoid duplicate content. The Apache server also helps with the encryption of websites using SSL certificates, in particular with the mod_ssl module. Nevertheless, its limited performance can be a challenge for highly frequented websites, which is why many large projects resort to the Nginx server.