The best part about Apache is that you can custom build it to include exactly what you need. The defaultconfiguration is a good one, but its far-too-general nature is, by definition, not the best choice for the majority of installations. With a host of plug-in modules available for free over the Internet, customizing Apache to its fullest extent is not only fast and easy, but well worth the time spent.
Get the latest copy of the Apache source code from http://www.apache.org/dist/. The current version as of this writing is 2.0.48. Download the source to a suitable place, e.g., /tmp.
# cd /tmp
# gunzip -c apache_1.3.12.tar.gz | tar xf -
# cd apache_1.3.12/
Once we have the source gunzipped and de-tarred, we are ready
to begin.
Building Apache is a four part process. Step one is deciding how we want Apache to be configured; step two is invoking the compiler; step three is testing the resulting compiled binary; and step four is putting everything in place. Luckily, we have make to speed us along with the last three steps (make, make test, and make install). Configuration, however, requires some forethought and knowledge, however rudimentary, of what type of web site the server is going to be used for. To do this, we'll use the configure script and pass options to define how Apache is to be built.
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