Apache HTTP Server — usually just called “Apache” — is free, open-source web server software responsible for receiving requests from browsers and serving up the files and pages that make a website appear. Originally released in 1995, it was for many years the most widely used web server on the internet, and it still powers a very large share of sites today, WordPress included.
What a Web Server Actually Does
Every time someone types a URL or clicks a link, a request travels to a server. Apache's job is to catch that request, work out what's being asked for, and send back the right response — an HTML page, an image, or a redirect.
Why It's Still Relevant
- Highly configurable through .htaccess files, letting site owners control redirects, security rules, and caching without touching the core server setup
- Broad module support for extra functionality — SSL, URL rewriting, compression
- Runs on virtually every operating system, including Linux, the backbone of most web hosting
- Deep compatibility with PHP and MySQL, the technologies behind WordPress
Apache vs. Nginx
Apache's main modern rival is Nginx, which tends to handle high traffic loads more efficiently and is often used either instead of Apache or alongside it as a reverse proxy. Most shared and managed WordPress hosting still runs on Apache, largely because of its flexible .htaccess configuration and long track record.
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