How can I set up multiple apache local web sites on Ubuntu?

Question

How can I set up multiple apache local web sites on Ubuntu?

I added the following to httpd.conf:

<VirtualHost *:80>
DocumentRoot "/wwwroot/htdocs/firstsite/"
ServerName www.vhostsite.com
</VirtualHost>

Now I try to go to www.vhostsite.com but browser says he can't find server.

Though, firstsite folder is created in htdocs, and it contains index.html (that is intended to show up in browser)

wwwroot is directory where apache is installed

Answer 1

Your browser needs to know an IP address, while the server then needs more details as for which site to serve. So, to host multiple sites on localhost you cannot serve all of them at http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1. Instead:

• Use subfolders, like http://localhost/site1/

• Or: set up dummy domains in your /etc/hosts file (name-based virtual hosting; the browser will connect to an IP address that is used for multiple sites, and then specify the requested host in the HTTP headers):

  127.0.0.1 www.vhostsite.com

• Or: use multiple ports, like http://localhost:8080 and http://localhost:8081 (port-based virtual hosting)

Answer 2

you can use rapache to have a GUI to setup your domains instead of editing the config by hand.