How to change the root directory of an Apache server on Linux?

Apache web server is one of the most widely used HTTP servers across all platforms, including Linux distributions and Windows. As an open-source server, Apache efficiently delivers web content and handles multiple concurrent requests.

In this article, we'll explain how to change the DocumentRoot directory for your Apache web server on Linux systems.

Understanding DocumentRoot

The DocumentRoot is the directory from which Apache serves files to visitors accessing your website. By default, Apache typically uses one of these locations:

/var/www/html

Or alternatively:

/var/www

The exact default location depends on your Linux distribution and Apache configuration.

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1 − Locate the Configuration File

The DocumentRoot is configured in the Apache virtual host file. For the default site, this is typically located at:

/etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf

Step 2 − Edit the Virtual Host Configuration

Open the configuration file using a text editor with sudo privileges:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf

Find the DocumentRoot directive, which will look similar to:

DocumentRoot /var/www/html

Change this path to your desired directory location.

Step 3 − Update Apache Main Configuration

You also need to update the main Apache configuration file to grant permissions to your new directory:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

Find the directory block for the old DocumentRoot:

<Directory /var/www/html/>
   Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
   AllowOverride None
   Require all granted
</Directory>

Update the directory path to match your new DocumentRoot location.

Step 4 − Create and Set Permissions

Ensure your new directory exists and has proper permissions:

sudo mkdir -p /your/new/document/root
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /your/new/document/root
sudo chmod -R 755 /your/new/document/root

Step 5 − Test and Restart Apache

Test your configuration for syntax errors:

sudo apache2ctl configtest

If the test passes, restart Apache to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Important Considerations

• Always backup your configuration files before making changes

• Ensure the new directory has appropriate read permissions for the www-data user

• Test your website functionality after making the change

• Consider security implications when choosing a new DocumentRoot location

Conclusion

Changing the Apache DocumentRoot involves updating both the virtual host configuration and directory permissions in the main Apache config. After making these changes and restarting Apache, your web server will serve content from the new location while maintaining proper security and functionality.