Stopping and restarting Apache httpd cleanly

For 2023 - we are now fully retired from IT training.
We have made many, many friends over 25 years of teaching about Python, Tcl, Perl, PHP, Lua, Java, C and C++ - and MySQL, Linux and Solaris/SunOS too. Our training notes are now very much out of date, but due to upward compatability most of our examples remain operational and even relevant ad you are welcome to make us if them "as seen" and at your own risk.

Lisa and I (Graham) now live in what was our training centre in Melksham - happy to meet with former delegates here - but do check ahead before coming round. We are far from inactive - rather, enjoying the times that we are retired but still healthy enough in mind and body to be active!

I am also active in many other area and still look after a lot of web sites - you can find an index ((here))

If you'r running an Apache httpd server and you need to restart it, then you may be used to running:
apachectl stop
apachectl start
and in close succession, those should cause only a minor blip in service of perhaps a second or two; the sort of thing that can be put down to a "sticky internet". But you can do better

apachectl restart
Runs a configuration test before it stops the old daemon so that if you've editied your configuration file and introduced a fatal error, it won't go ahead with the stop. It also means that the restart is at electronic speed after the stop, curtting the blip. But you can do better

apachectl graceful
Runs the configuration test, AND allows currently open connections to be concluded before rebooting - thus ensuring that no-one gets a partial page as you cycle your httpd.

Note - if you have allowed per-directory changes to the configuration via .htaccess files, then you don't need to restart the server in any way when they're changed - they are checked at every web site "hit".
(written 2006-03-29, updated 2006-06-05)

Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles

A602 - Web Application Deployment - Apache httpd - Sourcing, Installation, Testing
  [523] Apache httpd release 2.2 - (2005-12-10)
  [526] Apache httpd - serving web documents from different directories - (2005-12-12)
  [550] 2006 - Making business a pleasure - (2006-01-01)
  [907] Browser -> httpd -> Tomcat -> MySQL. Restarting. - (2006-10-28)
  [982] Notes from the white board - (2006-12-14)
  [1095] Apache httpd , browser, MySQL and MySQL client downloads - (2007-02-28)
  [1292] DHCP automatic IP address v Static IP - (2007-08-06)
  [1449] Upgrade Mac OSX to Leopard, Web Server Apache httpd config lost - (2007-11-29)
  [1455] Connecting to MySQL 5 from PHP on Mac OSX Leopard - (2007-12-03)
  [1707] Configuring Apache httpd - (2008-07-12)
  [1731] Apache httpd, MySQL, PHP - installation procedure - (2008-08-01)
  [1768] What is built in to this httpd and PHP? - (2008-08-23)
  [1945] Summary - Apache httpd build on Linux - (2008-12-14)
  [2080] Using ApacheBench and jconsole to test and monitor Tomcat - (2009-03-14)
  [2096] Where is my new Apache httpd installed - (2009-03-22)
  [2184] Choosing the right version of Java and Tomcat - (2009-05-16)
  [2520] Global and Enable - two misused words! - (2009-11-30)
  [3426] Automed web site testing scripted in Ruby using watir-webdriver - (2011-09-09)
  [4437] Adding a PHP build option, rotating an image based on camera data, and a new look at thumbnails in PHP - (2015-02-22)

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Some other Articles

Ruby course - oops - it's not happening
Python to MySQL
An unhelpful error message from Apache httpd
Dressed up for a phone call
Stopping and restarting Apache httpd cleanly
Web Application Components
Keeping the visitors happy and browsing
The ternary operator in Python
Think about your design even if you don't use full UML
Can some food be TOO different?

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This is a page archived from The Horse's Mouth at http://www.wellho.net/horse/ - the diary and writings of Graham Ellis. Every attempt was made to provide current information at the time the page was written, but things do move forward in our business - new software releases, price changes, new techniques. Please check back via our main site for current courses, prices, versions, etc - any mention of a price in "The Horse's Mouth" cannot be taken as an offer to supply at that price.

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