Apache HTTP Server (commonly “Apache”) is a free and open-source web server that powered the growth of the World Wide Web. For years the most popular web server, it established the open-source infrastructure model.
Origins
Apache emerged in 1995 from patches to the NCSA HTTPd server. A group of developers formed the Apache Group to maintain and improve the server. The name punned on “a patchy server.”
Key Features
Apache provided essential web server capabilities:
- Virtual hosting: Multiple sites on one server
- URL rewriting: Flexible URL handling
- Authentication: Access control
- Modules: Extensible architecture
- SSL/TLS: Secure connections
- .htaccess: Directory-level configuration
Dominance
Apache dominated the web server market:
- Over 70% market share at its peak
- Powered the dot-com era
- Part of the LAMP stack
- Proved open source could compete
The Apache Foundation
The Apache Software Foundation, grown from Apache HTTP Server development, became a major home for open-source projects: Hadoop, Kafka, Spark, Tomcat, and many others.