It’s late 1995, and the web is growing faster than anyone predicted. The standard server for years has been the NCSA HTTPd, but development there has stalled. A group of developers started trading "patches" to fix bugs and add features, eventually deciding to release their own version. They call it "A Patchy Server"-Apache.
The Power of .htaccess
One of the most useful features of Apache is the .htaccess file. It allows for per-directory configuration without needing to restart the entire server or have root access. This is a game-changer for the new "web hosting" companies that are starting to pop up.
# A simple .htaccess trick
ErrorDocument 404 /not_found.html
DirectoryIndex index.html index.php
Modular and Extensible
Unlike the monolithic servers that came before, Apache is built to be modular. You can load only the features you need, which is essential for performance on the hardware we have. The new API for modules is already attracting developers who want to add things like server-side scripting or custom logging.
The Open Source Advantage
Apache is proving that the open-source model (or "public domain" as some still call it) is superior for infrastructure. Because the code is transparent, security holes are found and patched quickly by the community.
We’ve just migrated our university’s web presence from NCSA to Apache 1.0. The configuration is more flexible, and it seems much better at handling the "Slashdot effect" when we get a sudden surge of traffic. I suspect Apache is going to be the dominant force on the web for a long time.