Apache: Make Changes In a Config File Take Effect Without Restarting Server

When making changes to an Apache configuration file, it is often necessary to restart the Apache server to apply the changes. However, there is a way to make changes take effect without restarting the server, which can be useful in certain circumstances.

The method to do this is to use the apachectl command with the graceful option. This command tells Apache to gracefully restart, meaning that it will finish processing any active requests before restarting. This allows you to make changes to the configuration file without interrupting the server’s operation.

Here are the steps to make changes in a config file take effect without restarting the Apache server:

1. Edit the configuration file you want to change. For example, if you want to change the DocumentRoot setting in the main Apache configuration file, you would use a command like this:
   sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

2. Make the changes you want to make in the configuration file.
3. Save the changes and exit the editor.
4. Run the apachectl command with the graceful option to make the changes take effect:
   sudo apachectl graceful


   This will tell Apache to gracefully restart, which will apply the changes you made to the configuration file without interrupting any active requests.

That’s it! Your changes should now be in effect without needing to restart the Apache server.