Apache

Apache is far and away the most widely used web server platform in the world. It runs about half of the world's existing web sites, and it is rapidly increasing market share.

The second edition of Apache: The Definitive Guide is a complete revision of the original. New features include:

• Coverage of the new Apache 1.3.3 features
• Documentation of Apache's Win32 support
• A tear-out version of Andrew Ford's Apache Quick Reference Card, covering Apache v1.3.4
• A reworked and expanded index

With this second edition, web administrators new to Apache will 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, and system programmers will turn immediately to the chapters on the API and Apache modules. Apache: The Definitive Guide is essential documentation for the world's most popular web server.

The book is organized around the creation of a sample web site that gradually evolves in functional richness. Individual chapters discuss:

• Obtaining and compiling the server
• Configuring and running Apache on Unix and Windows systems
• CGI programming
• Authentication and security
• Indexing, redirection, proxies, and server-side includes
• Logging
• The API and writing Apache modules

Included with the book is a CD-ROM containing Unix and Win32 distributions of Apache 1.3.3 and all of the sample web sites used in the book.

1. Getting Started
• How Does Apache Work?
• What to Know About TCP/IP
• How Does Apache Use TCP/IP?
• What the Client Does What Happens at the Server End?
• Which Unix?
• Which Apache?
• Making Apache Under Unix
• Apache Under Windows
• Apache Under BS2000/OSD and AS/400
2. Our First Web Site
• What Is a Web Site?
• Apache's Flags
• site.toddle
• Setting Up a Unix Server
• Setting Up a Win32 Server
3. Toward a Real Web Site
• More and Better Web Sites: site.simple
• Butterthlies, Inc., Gets Going
• Block Directives
• Other Directives
• Two Sites and Apache
• Controlling Virtual Hosts on Unix
• Controlling Virtual Hosts on Win32
• Virtual Hosts
• Two Copies of Apache
• HTTP Response Headers
• Options
• Restarts
• .htaccess
• CERN Metafiles
• Expirations
4. Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
• Turning the Brochure into a Form
• Writing and Executing Scripts
• Script Directives
• Useful Scripts
• Debugging Scripts
• Setting Environment Variables
• suEXEC on Unix
• Handlers
• Actions
5. Authentication
• Authentication Protocol
• Authentication Directives
• Passwords Under Unix
• Passwords Under Win32
• New Order Form
• Order, Allow, and Deny
• Digest Authentication
• Anonymous Access
• Experiments
• Automatic User Information
• Using .htaccess Files
• Overrides
6. MIME, Content and Language Negotiation
• MIME Types
• Content Negotiation
• Language Negotiation
• Type Maps
• Browsers and HTTP/1.1
7. Indexing
• Making Better Indexes in Apache
• Making Our Own Indexes
• Imagemaps
8. Redirection
• Rewrite
• Speling
9. Proxy Server
• Proxy Directives
• Caching
• Setup
10. Server-Side Includes
• File Size
• File Modification Time
• Includes
• Execute CGI
• Echo
• XBitHack
• XSSI
11. What's Going On?
• Status
• Server Status
• Server Info
• Logging the Action
12. Extra Modules
• Authentication
• Blocking Access
• Counters
• Faster CGI Programs
• FrontPage from Microsoft
• Languages and Internationalization
• Server-Side Scripting
• Throttling Connections
• URL Rewriting
• Miscellaneous
• MIME Magic
• DSO
13. Security
• Internal and External Users
• Apache's Security Precautions
• Binary Signatures, Virtual Cash
• Firewalls
• Legal Issues
• Secure Sockets Layer: How to Do It
• Apache-SSL's Directives
• Cipher Suites
• SSL and CGI
14. The Apache API
• Pools
• Per-Server Configuration
• Per-Directory Configuration
• Per-Request Information
• Access to Configuration and Request Information
• Functions
15. Writing Apache Modules
    • Overview
    • Status Codes
    • The Module Structure
    • A Complete Example
    • General Hints

1. Support Organizations
2. The echo Program
3. NCSA and Apache Compatibility
4. SSL Protocol
5. Sample Apache Log

A fairly good book, that covers most of the things that you needed to know at the time (especially considering the absence of good documentation at the time).

Nowadays a bit dated, but still worth a read.