There are several web server's available, my personal favorite is apache. Apache is so wonderful because the power within the configurations. I know that some people out there have their personal favorites, and i expect no less from anyone here. So here is a simple way to get apache up and running. The below is a wonderful webserver software that can be found easily by typing "XAMPP " with or without the quotes, into any search engine. I recommend this because it's apache and does most of the work for you. There are alternatives, but like.. who cares, right?
XAMPP is a simple solution for starting your simple/personal web server, This has mostly everything one would need to start a website, and includes full documentation and security measure's, a great way to start web development or even to start working with a scripting language like perl, python, and even php or java.. You can find out more on their site, but note, this is only for those who have taken the steps of installing the distrobution or who know how to create a partition and mount it for saving files. if you do not fall under one of those catagories, your best to not even mess with personal web server hosting.
:: SECURITY WARNING!! ::
Never, ever install a web server onto a personal desktop/laptop unless your using it for development, This is because it is easier to gain access to one's personal files from a "Cracker". Alway's use a spare older or outdated computer with only the basic stuff needed. The more you install, the more risk you will run of an attacker using bad source-code on your box to gain access and allow for many things to be done once that far. Remember to apply security for everything and never use the same passwords for everything. that being said, here is a few tips for making it harder on an attacker:
1.) Remember to make a sub-directory under the root folder (" / ") called: " srv " if one is not already created, you will want to make most of these files and folders read-only:
in the shell, it would look like this:
user@example~:$ cd /srv
user@example:/srv$ su -c ' chmod 644 <filename>
password:
The above is a simple way to make it so that root is the only person able to have write access.
There is a site,
http://www.ss64.com/bash/chmod.html that you can learn more about chmod and it even has a tool inside that page that allows you to ajust chmod's simple and easy like
Make sure not to use the "<", ">" and make sure that you always use the su -c 'program name' for running programs as super user, because the -c just runs that one program and then once finished, it will log out and back to the normal user account.
:: DIRECTIONS ::
Okay, we have created our own personal directory for the server, chmoded all the files and folders, we are now ready to start to point apache to this folder, we will want to configure the apache.conf to point here, i will choose to create another folder within the system and called it www, so it will come out looking like: "/srv/www"
Ok, here is the apache.conf i have setup for a my personal development site:
# Global configuration that will be applicable for all virtual hosts, unless
# deleted here, or overriden elswhere.
# Feel free to copy and paste all of this into your apache.conf or whatever your main configure
# file is.
DocumentRoot "/srv/www/"
# Aliases: aliases can be added as needed (with no limit). The format is
# Alias fakename realname
# This is for creating a link within apache for the icons it defaults with during install. It's
# Mainly just an example of how to add a non /srv/www directory into apache and the link
# would look like "
http://localhost/icons " without the quotes. Cool huh?
Alias /icons/ "/usr/share/apache2/icons/"
<Directory "/usr/share/apache2/icons">
Options Indexes MultiViews
AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>
# the main configuration file consists of many of these examples, and all can be tested and
# toyed with, just backup the main config file by copying it, pasting it, or renaming it with a
# ~ at the end of it. Just play around with it, and if all goes wrong, just remove the ~ from
# the name of the backup or paste the copy made back in. All of this will have to be done
# from within the superuser trick i showed you before. but here is the command for doing
# this incase you just want to have it for later:
# su -c 'mv /home/username/apache2.conf /etc/apache2
# make sure to make another backup or just use the command "cp" instead of "mv"
Well that about cover's the simple personal web server, if you have any more question's about apache config's, there is massive amounts of tutorials around the net, i recommend using the apache website at:
http://www.apache.org website, there is so much help available from that one site that is often over-looked.
The best way to learn anything though, is through trial and error, make the proper backup's and tinker. that is what truely sets apart the common-hacker apart from the crowd
Take care and happy web development all of you PCLinuxOS user's. I don't personally use PCLinuxOS, but i know a good distro when i see one, and if your that new user friendly, i am willing to share my advice, tips, and tricks with all of you. Feel free to ask your questions, message me if you wish, please make this little tutorial a sticky and allow other's to add their feedback and comments. I hope to keep bringing more information for all and will contribute as much as i can.
I only offer this because the wiki was blank and it would not allow me to write up a catagory for the blank one missing
