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There are mainly three kinds of ways to start/restart an Apache Server for different Linux distributions.

Taking <b>start</b> as a quick example, they are:
<code>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k start (Red Hat)
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/httpd -k start (when you don't have apachectl in Red Hat)
Shell>> /etc/init.d/apache2 start (Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE)</code>

<b>NOTE:</b> The path of <b>apachectl</b> and <b>httpd</b> may differ from "/usr/local/apache2/bin/" depending on your installations and in some cases you don't even have to specify the patch.

<b>I. Use of apachectl</b> (Red Head)

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Note you may need to specify the path to the apachectl command. For example, you may use

<b>Full path:</b>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k restart

or

<b>Relative path:</b>
Shell>> bin/apachectl -k restart (when the console is in /usr/local/apache2/ in this case)

for restarting Apache.


Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.

<b>You may also note that in SUSE Linux, you can restart (or start) the server by the command:

Shell> /etc/init.d/apache2 restart</b>

<b>II. Use of httpd</b>

However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes <b>apachectl</b> simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command <b>httpd</b> (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.

<b>III. Use of apache2 (Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE)</b>

<code>Shell> /etc/init.d/apach2 start|restart|stop</code>

You may use the following command for restarting in Ubuntu:

<code>Shell> sudo /etc/init.d/apach2 start/restart/stop</code>

The Apache Official Documents for
1. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stopping.html>Stopping and Restarting</a>
2. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/apachectl.html>apachectl - Apache HTTP Server Control Interface</a>
3. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/httpd.html>httpd - Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol Server</a>

There are mainly three kinds of ways to start/restart an Apache Server for different Linux distributions.

Taking <b>start</b> as a quick example, they are:
<code>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k start (Red Hat)
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/httpd (when you don't have apachectl in Red Hat)
Shell>> /etc/init.d/apache2 start (Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE)
</code>

Note the path of apachectl and httpd depends on your installation and in some install you don't have to specify the patch.
Shell>> /etc/init.d/apache2 start (Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE)</code>

<b>NOTE:</b> The path of <b>apachectl</b> and <b>httpd</b> may differ from "/usr/local/apache2/bin/" depending on your installations and in some cases you don't even have to specify the patch.

<b>I. Use of apachectl</b> (Red Head)

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Note you may need to specify the path to the apachectl command. For example, you may use

<b>Full path:</b>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k restart

or

<b>Relative path:</b>
Shell>> bin/apachectl -k restart (when the console is in /usr/local/apache2/ in this case)

for restarting Apache.


Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.

<b>You may also note that in SUSE Linux, you can restart (or start) the server by the command:

Shell> /etc/init.d/apache2 restart</b>

<b>II. Use of httpd</b>

However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes <b>apachectl</b> simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command <b>httpd</b> (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.

<b>III. Use of apache2 (Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE)</b>

<code>Shell> /etc/init.d/apach2 start|restart|stop</code>

You may use the following command for restarting in Ubuntu:

<code>Shell> sudo /etc/init.d/apach2 start/restart/stop</code>

The Apache Official Documents for
1. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stopping.html>Stopping and Restarting</a>
2. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/apachectl.html>apachectl - Apache HTTP Server Control Interface</a>
3. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/httpd.html>httpd - Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol Server</a>

There are mainly three kinds of ways to start/restart an Apache Server for different Linux distributions.

Taking <b>start</b> as a quick example, they are:
<code>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k start (Red Hat)
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/httpd (when you don't have apachectl in Red Hat)
Shell>> /etc/init.d/apache2 start (Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE)
</code>

Note the path of apachectl and httpd depends on your installation and in some install you don't have to specify the patch.

<b>I. Use of apachectl</b> (Red Head)

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Note you may need to specify the path to the apachectl command. For example, you may use

<b>Full path:</b>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k restart

or

<b>Relative path:</b>
Shell>> bin/apachectl -k restart (when the console is in /usr/local/apache2/ in this case)

for restarting Apache.


Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.

<b>You may also note that in SUSE Linux, you can restart (or start) the server by the command:

Shell> /etc/init.d/apache2 restart</b>

<b>II. Use of httpd</b>

However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes <b>apachectl</b> simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command <b>httpd</b> (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.


<b>III. Use of apache2 (Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE)</b>

<code>Shell> /etc/init.d/apach2 start|restart|stop</code>

You may use the following command for restarting in Ubuntu:

<code>Shell> sudo /etc/init.d/apach2 start/restart/stop</code>

The Apache Official Documents for
1. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stopping.html>Stopping and Restarting</a>
2. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/apachectl.html>apachectl - Apache HTTP Server Control Interface</a>
3. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/httpd.html>httpd - Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol Server</a>

I. Use of apachectl (Red Head)

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Note you may need to specify the path to the apachectl command. For example, you may use

Full path:
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k restart

or

Relative path:
Shell>> bin/apachectl -k restart (when the console is in /usr/local/apache2/ in this case)

for restarting Apache.


Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.

You may also note that in SUSE Linux, you can restart (or start) the server by the command:

Shell> /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

II. Use of httpd

However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes apachectl simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command httpd (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.



The Apache Official Documents for
1. Stopping and Restarting
2. apachectl - Apache HTTP Server Control Interface
3. httpd - Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol Server

<b>I. Use of apachectl</b> (Red Head)

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Note you may need to specify the path to the apachectl command. For example, you may use

<b>Full path:</b>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k restart

or

<b>Relative path:</b>
Shell>> bin/apachectl -k restart (when the console is in /usr/local/apache2/ in this case)

for restarting Apache.


Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.

<b>You may also note that in SUSE Linux, you can restart (or start) the server by the command:

Shell> /etc/init.d/apache2 restart</b>

<b>II. Use of httpd</b>

However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes <b>apachectl</b> simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command <b>httpd</b> (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.



The Apache Official Documents for
1. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stopping.html>Stopping and Restarting</a>
2. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/apachectl.html>apachectl - Apache HTTP Server Control Interface</a>
3. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/httpd.html>httpd - Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol Server</a>

<b>I. Use of apachectl</b>
(Red Head)

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Note you may need to specify the path to the apachectl command. For example, you may use

<b>Full path:</b>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k restart

or

<b>Relative path:</b>
Shell>> bin/apachectl -k restart (when the console is in /usr/local/apache2/ in this case)

for restarting Apache.


Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.


<b>II. Use of httpd</b>

However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes <b>apachectl</b> simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command <b>httpd</b> (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.



The Apache Official Documents for
1. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stopping.html>Stopping and Restarting</a>
2. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/apachectl.html>apachectl - Apache HTTP Server Control Interface</a>
3. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/programs/httpd.html>httpd - Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol Server</a>

I. Use of apachectl

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Note you may need to specify the path to the apachectl command. For example, you may use

Full path:
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k restart

or

Relative path:
Shell>> bin/apachectl -k restart (when the console is in /usr/local/apache2/ in this case)

for restarting Apache.


Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.


II. Use of httpd

However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes apachectl simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command httpd (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.



The Apache Official Documents for
1. Stopping and Restarting
2. apachectl - Apache HTTP Server Control Interface
3. httpd - Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol Server

<b>I. Use of apachectl</b>

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Note you may need to specify the path to the apachectl command. For example, you may use

<b>Full path:</b>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k restart

or

<b>Relative path:</b>
Shell>> bin/apachectl -k restart (when the console is in /usr/local/apache2/ in this case)

for restarting Apache.


Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.


<b>II. Use of httpd</b>

However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes <b>apachectl</b> simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command <b>httpd</b> (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.



The Apache Official Documents for
1. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stopping.html>Stopping and Restarting:
</a>
2. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stoppingprograms/apachectl.html>apachectl - Apache HTTP Server Control Interface</a>
3. <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stoppingprograms/httpd.html>httpd - Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol Server</a>

<b>I. Use of apachectl</b>

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Note you may need to specify the path to the apachectl command. For example, you may use

<b>Full path:</b>
Shell>> /usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl -k restart

or

<b>Relative path:</b>
Shell>> bin/apachectl -k restart (when the console is in /usr/local/apache2/ in this case)

for restarting Apache.


Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.


<b>II. Use of httpd</b>

However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes <b>apachectl</b> simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command <b>httpd</b> (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.


Apache Official Document for Stopping and Restarting:
<a href=http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stopping.html>http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stopping.html</a>

Basically, it is easy to start/restart/stop an Apache web server by the commands

Shell>> apachectl -k start
Shell>> apachectl -k restart
Shell>> apachectl -k stop

to start, restart, stop your Apache server, respectively. Also, it is recommeded to use the parameter "graceful" to stop the sever after finishing serving all the HTTP requests while attempting the restart the sever. That is, we use

Shell>> apachectl -k graceful

to restart the Apache server.


However, due to different versions of installation, sometimes apachectl simply doesn't work. Instead, you may use the command httpd (with a shell path specified). You may use

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k restart

or

Shell>> ./bin/httpd -k graceful

to restart your Apache http daemon service.


Apache Official Document for Stopping and Restarting:
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/stopping.html