Apache HTTP Server: Official Source and Windows Binaries
Apache HTTP Server · for Linux, Windows and macOS
Developer: The Apache Software Foundation (opens in a new tab)
- Linux
- Windows
- macOS
The download link points to the program’s official source; the file is not hosted on this site. Link address: httpd.apache.org
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The Apache HTTP Server (httpd) is a free, open-source web server from the Apache Software Foundation. The project itself releases only source code; Windows binaries come from third-party distributions such as Apache Lounge and WampServer.
Apache HTTP Server, usually called httpd, is one of the oldest and most widely deployed web servers. Its download works differently from most programs, and knowing why saves confusion.
Source code only, from Apache itself
The Apache HTTP Server Project states that it does not provide binary releases, only source code. Individual committers may provide binary packages as a convenience, but they are not a release deliverable. The official download page offers the current 2.4 stable release as .tar.bz2 and .tar.gz archives.
Verify what you download
The download page says you must verify the integrity of the files using the PGP or SHA signatures from Apache’s main distribution directory, checked against the published KEYS file. SHA256 and SHA512 checksums are provided for each archive.
On Linux
Most site owners never compile httpd themselves. Linux distributions package it, for example as apache2 on Ubuntu and Debian or httpd on Fedora-based systems, and install it with the package manager.
On Windows
Because Apache does not ship Windows binaries, its Windows documentation points to third-party distributions. It names two popular options for running httpd, and optionally PHP and MySQL, on Windows:
- Apache Lounge (Apache builds for Windows)
- WampServer (a bundle with PHP and MySQL)
These are not official Apache releases, so download them only from their own sites. For a local development stack on Windows, XAMPP also includes Apache.
Making it secure
Add HTTPS to an Apache site with Certbot, which can configure Apache automatically.
Pros
- Mature, widely documented web server
- Signed releases with SHA checksums
- Packaged by all major Linux distributions
Cons
- No official Windows binaries
- Building from source takes some experience
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there no Windows installer on the Apache website?
The Apache HTTP Server Project releases only source code. Its Windows documentation points to third-party binary distributions such as Apache Lounge and WampServer.
How do I check that my Apache download is genuine?
Verify the archive with the PGP signature or the SHA256/SHA512 checksum from Apache's main distribution directory, using the KEYS file the download page links to.
Apache HTTP ServerOpen source
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