Apache HTTP Server

The world's most used web server software

As of 30 August 2026, Apache HTTP Server is free to use. Apache HTTP Server is a free and open-source web server software. Softwr lists it under Web Development. Apache HTTP Server is made by Apache Software Foundation, launched in 1995, available on Linux, Windows, macOS.

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Overview

What Apache HTTP Server does

Apache HTTP Server is a free and open-source web server software. It's been the most popular web server on the Internet since 1996, known for its reliability, security features, and extensive module system.

What people use it for

Web hosting
Static site serving
Reverse proxy
Load balancing
SSL termination
Content delivery

Where it falls short

Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about Apache HTTP Server.

Process-based or thread-based architecture consumes more memory per connection than nginx's event-driven model
Static file serving performance lags behind nginx, particularly under high concurrency
Module system flexibility can add overhead compared to nginx's streamlined single-purpose design
Configuration complexity for advanced features like reverse proxying is higher than nginx
Performance monitoring in hybrid and cloud environments requires additional tools beyond built-in diagnostics

Cross-shopped

What people choose instead of Apache HTTP Server

Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.

Apache HTTP Servervs
Nginx
Nginx: Event-driven web server optimized for static content and high-concurrency workloads, surpassing Apache in market adoption since 2016.

Capabilities

Features

HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 support
Virtual hosting
SSL/TLS encryption
URL rewriting
Load balancing
Compression
Authentication modules
Logging and monitoring
PHP
Integration with PHP
Python
Integration with Python
Perl
Integration with Perl
Ruby
Integration with Ruby

Answered, with sources

Questions people ask

Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.

Is Apache HTTP Server free?

Yes. Apache HTTP Server is free, open-source software developed by The Apache Software Foundation. There are no licensing fees for any edition.

Source

What is the latest stable version of Apache HTTP Server?

Apache httpd 2.4.68, released June 8, 2026, is the latest stable version from the 2.4.x branch and is recommended for all users. Apache httpd 2.2 is end-of-life (final release July 2017).

Source

Does Apache support .htaccess configuration files?

Yes. Apache HTTP Server supports per-directory .htaccess configuration files, allowing configuration without modifying the main Apache configuration file. This flexibility is a key differentiator from nginx.

Source

How many Apache modules are available?

Apache includes 100+ modules for functionality like URL rewriting, reverse proxying, load balancing, caching, authentication, and scripting. Modules can be compiled statically or loaded dynamically at runtime using mod_so.

Source

Can Apache run on Linux?

Yes. Apache HTTP Server is fully supported on Linux (Red Hat, Debian, Ubuntu), Windows Server, macOS, and Unix-like systems.

Source

Behind it

Who makes Apache HTTP Server

Company: Apache Software Foundation
Based in: Global Open Source Project

Timeline