how to create virtual host on XAMPP

Question

I am sure this question is being asked many times but I am not encounter with a problem. I am using XAMPP where I configure Zend framework.

XAMPP is running on port 8081 as 80 is being occupied by some Windows process I need to use virtual host for that I configure with following code in C:/xampp/apache/config/extra/httpd-vhosts.config (or C:/xampp/apache/conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf in newer releases).

<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName comm-app.local
DocumentRoot "C:/xampp/htdocs/CommunicationApp/public"
SetEnv APPLICATION_ENV "development"
    <Directory "C:/xampp/htdocs/CommunicationApp/public"
        DirectoryIndex index.php
        AllowOverride All
        Order allow,deny
        Allow from all
    </Directory>
</VirtualHost>    

and also update the hosts file with 127.0.0.1 comm-app.local and try to re-start apache but it is showing error.

15:03:01  [Apache]  Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly.
15:03:01  [Apache]  This may be due to a blocked port, missing dependencies, 
15:03:01  [Apache]  improper privileges, a crash, or a shutdown by another method.
15:03:01  [Apache]  Press the Logs button to view error logs and check
15:03:01  [Apache]  the Windows Event Viewer for more clues
15:03:01  [Apache]  If you need more help, copy and post this
15:03:01  [Apache]  entire log window on the forums

Answer 1

Add this Code in C:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-vhosts.conf

<VirtualHost *:80>
DocumentRoot "C:/xampp/htdocs"
ServerName qa-staging.com
ServerAlias www.qa-staging.com
<Directory "c:/xampp/htdocs">
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Now Add your virtual host name in bellow file.

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

127.0.0.1 qa-staging.com

If you are not able to save this code in host file then right click on notpad select Run as administrator and then you can able to save your custom code now restart your XAMP

Answer 2

<VirtualHost *:80>
    DocumentRoot "D:/projects/yourdirectry name"
    ServerName local.yourdomain.com
    <Directory "D:/projects/yourdirectry name">
        Require all granted 
    </Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Save the Apache configuration file.

for detailed info refer to this

Answer 3

In Your disk drive:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-vhosts.conf exists an example and you could edit it with your configuration:

    ##<VirtualHost *:80>
    ##ServerAdmin [e-mail]
    ##DocumentRoot "C:/xampp/htdocs/dummy-host.example.com"
    ##ServerName dummy-host.example.com
    ##ServerAlias www.dummy-host.example.com
    ##ErrorLog "logs/dummy-host.example.com-error.log"
    ##CustomLog "logs/dummy-host.example.com-access.log" common
    ##</VirtualHost>

then as mentioned above you must add in: System32/Drivers/etc/hosts to the bottom of the file

127.0.0.1    www.dummy-host.example.com

and

127.0.0.1    dummy-host.example.com

to have possibility run your code with WWW or without WWW, restart Apache and try in the browser:

www.dummy-host.example.com

or

dummy-host.example.com

maybe at the first time you must to add like this:

http://dummy-host.example.com

Answer 4

Write these codes end of the C:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-vhosts.conf file,

DocumentRoot "D:/xampp/htdocs/foldername"
ServerName www.siteurl.com
ServerAlias www.siteurl.com
ErrorLog "logs/dummy-host.example.com-error.log"
CustomLog "logs/dummy-host.example.com-access.log" common

between the virtual host tag.

and edit the file System32/Drivers/etc/hosts use notepad as administrator

add bottom of the file

127.0.0.1    www.siteurl.com

Answer 5

I see two errors:

<VirtualHost *:80> -> Fix to :8081, your POrt the server runs on
    ServerName comm-app.local
    DocumentRoot "C:/xampp/htdocs/CommunicationApp/public"
    SetEnv APPLICATION_ENV "development"
    <Directory "C:/xampp/htdocs/CommunicationApp/public" -> This is probably why it crashes, missing >
        DirectoryIndex index.php
        AllowOverride All
        Order allow,deny
        Allow from all
    </Directory>
 -> MIssing close container: </VirtualHost> 

Fixed version:

<VirtualHost *:8081>
    ServerName comm-app.local
    DocumentRoot "C:/xampp/htdocs/CommunicationApp/public"
    SetEnv APPLICATION_ENV "development"
    <Directory "C:/xampp/htdocs/CommunicationApp/public">
        DirectoryIndex index.php
        AllowOverride All
        Order allow,deny
        Allow from all
    </Directory>
</VirtualHost>

One thing to mention:

You can always try and run command:

service apache2 configtest

This will tell you when you got a malformed configuration and maybe even can tell you where the problem is.

Furthermore it helps avoid unavailability in a LIVE system:

service apache2 restart

will shutdown and then fail to start, this configtest you know beforehand "oops I did something wrong, I should fix this first" but the apache itself is still running with old configuration. :)

Answer 6

Apache Virtual Host documentation Setting up a virtual host (vhost) provides several benefits:

• Virtual Hosts make URLs cleaner – localhost/mysite vs mysite.local.
• Virtual Hosts make permissions easier – restrict access for a single vhost on a local network vs permitting access to all sites on your local network.
• Some applications require a “.” in the URL (ahem Magento). While you can setup localhost.com/mysite by editing the Windows hosts file, creating a vhost is a better solution.

VirtualHost Directive Contains directives that apply only to a specific hostname or IP address

Location Directive Applies the enclosed directives only to matching URLs

Example changes over configuration file - D:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-vhosts.conf

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin localhost
    DocumentRoot "D:/xampp/htdocs"
    ServerName localhost
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost localhost:80>
  ServerAdmin [e-mail]
  DocumentRoot "/www/docs/host.example.com"
  #DocumentRoot "D:\xampp\htdocs\phpPages"
  ServerName host.example.com
  ErrorLog "logs/host.example.com-error_log"
  TransferLog "logs/host.example.com-access_log"
</VirtualHost>

# To get view of PHP application in the Browser.
<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin [e-mail]
    DocumentRoot "D:\xampp\htdocs\app1"
    ServerName app1.yash.com
    ServerAlias app1.yash.com
    ErrorLog "logs/app1.yash.com-error.log"
    CustomLog "logs/app1.yash.com-access.log" combined

    # App1 communication proxy call to Java War applications from XAMP
    <Location /ServletApp1>
            ProxyPass  http://app1.yashJava.com:8080/ServletApp1
            ProxyPassReverse  http://app1.yashJava.com:8080/ServletApp1
            Order Allow,Deny
            Allow from all
    </Location>
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin [e-mail]
    DocumentRoot "D:\xampp\htdocs\app2"
    ServerName app2.yash.com
    ErrorLog "logs/app2.yash.com-error.log"
    CustomLog "logs/app2.yash.com-access.log" combined

    # App1 communication proxy call to Java War applications from XAMP
    <Location /ServletApp2>
            ProxyPass  http://app1.yashJava.com:8080/ServletApp2
            ProxyPassReverse  http://app1.yashJava.com:8080/ServletApp2
            Order Allow,Deny
            Allow from all
    </Location>
</VirtualHost>

Update Your Windows Hosts File « Open your Windows hosts file located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.

# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
#   127.0.0.1       localhost
#   ::1             localhost

127.0.0.1       test.com
127.0.0.1       example.com
127.0.0.1       myssl.yash.com

---

D:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf, [httpd-ssl.conf](http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_ssl.html)

# Listen: Allows you to bind Apache to specific IP addresses and/or
# ports, instead of the default. See also the <VirtualHost> directive.
# Listen 0.0.0.0:80 | [::]:80
Listen 80

LoadModule proxy_http_module modules/mod_proxy_http.so
LoadModule speling_module modules/mod_speling.so

# ServerAdmin: Your address, where problems with the server should be e-mailed.
# This address appears on some server-generated pages, such as error documents.
#  e.g. [e-mail]
ServerAdmin postmaster@localhost
ServerName localhost:80
DocumentRoot "D:/xampp/htdocs"

<Directory "D:/xampp/htdocs">
    Options Indexes FollowSymLinks Includes ExecCGI
    AllowOverride All
    Require all granted
</Directory>

# Virtual hosts
Include "conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf"

# ===== httpd-ssl.conf - SSL Virtual Host Context =====
# Note: Configurations that use IPv6 but not IPv4-mapped addresses need two
#       Listen directives: "Listen [::]:443" and "Listen 0.0.0.0:443"
Listen 443
## SSL Virtual Host Context
<VirtualHost _default_:443>
    DocumentRoot "D:\xampp\htdocs\projectFolderSSL"
    ServerName myssl.yash.com:443
    ServerAlias myssl.yash.com:443

    ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
    ErrorLog "logs/error.log"
    <IfModule log_config_module>
        CustomLog "logs/access.log" combined
    </IfModule>

    ## Redirecting URL from Web server to Application server over different machine.
    # myssl.yash.com:443/ServletWebApp
    <Location /path>
        ProxyPass  http://java.yash2.com:8444/ServletWebApp
        ProxyPassReverse  http://java.yash2.com:8444/ServletWebApp
        Order Allow,Deny
        Allow from all
    </Location>

    #SSLCertificateFile "conf/ssl.crt/server.crt"
    SSLCertificateFile "D:\SSL_Vendor\yash.crt"

    #SSLCertificateKeyFile "conf/ssl.key/server.key"
    SSLCertificateKeyFile "D:\SSL_Vendor\private-key.key"

    #SSLCertificateChainFile "conf/ssl.crt/server-ca.crt"
    SSLCertificateChainFile "D:\SSL_Vendor\intermediate.crt"
</VirtualHost>
# ===== httpd-ssl.conf - SSL Virtual Host Context =====

---

@see

• XAMPP security concept - Error 403,404
• Apache VirtualHost and localhost