• Registered: 07/24/2015
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Different Web Server likely cause any problems?

I'm a bit put off by the complexity of Apache.
Would using a simpler server like Hiawatha (www.hiawatha-webserver.org) be likely to cause any problems with FA?

Web posts look good for Hiawatha with PHP eg: "I've been using Hiawatha for three years. It has been very stable and reliable. I especially like that the configuration file is very simple and easy to setup. I have never had any issue with security, but all I run with it is PHP with the php-fpm module." (https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/hiawatha-web-server.48800/)

  • From: Luxembourg
  • Registered: 06/28/2015
  • Posts: 48

Re: Different Web Server likely cause any problems?

Setting up Appache with MySQL has become really simple and you are fine by default settings.

All you really need is just type:
(you need to adjust the commands to your distro/package manager) 

sudo apt-get install apache2
sudo apt-get install mysql-server mysql-client

You also need PHP and this is nothing complicated because you are fine by default installation + FA specific requirements, if any.
All you probably need is : 

sudo apt-get install php5 php5-mysql libapache2-mod-php5

You can find more detailed instructions that are tailored for your selected distro. Just follow those, line by line and you are done.
Search for:  How To Install Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP (LAMP) + what ever distro you use and you are done.

  • Registered: 07/24/2015
  • Posts: 3

Re: Different Web Server likely cause any problems?

Thanks RandomName, its good to know that installation with Apache is so straightforward.
But I've read many times (usually in reviews of lightweight servers) that Apache is something of a behemoth and overkill for many uses, using much more system resources, and also difficult to configure when you do want to change something, so I'd still be interested to know if FA is really tailored to Apache or if most other 'general purpose' web servers should be just as compatible.

  • From: Luxembourg
  • Registered: 06/28/2015
  • Posts: 48

Re: Different Web Server likely cause any problems?

SteveHolmes wrote:

But I've read many times (usually in reviews of lightweight servers) that Apache is something of a behemoth and overkill for many uses

Its myth, concocted by those same "light weight" server developers. smile 

SteveHolmes wrote:

using much more system resources, and also difficult to configure when you do want to change something, so I'd still be interested to know if FA is really tailored to Apache or if most other 'general purpose' web servers should be just as compatible.

It will not eat up your resources and it's not hard to configure. Apache documentations is very helpful, there are millions of pages of detailed help out there to walk you trough practically any situation.  If you need to use htaccess, you probably have to enable it.

Just follow the LAMP how-to and you will be fine.

  • Registered: 07/24/2015
  • Posts: 3

Re: Different Web Server likely cause any problems?

RandomName wrote:

Its myth, concocted by those same "light weight" server developers

Its not a view "concocted" exclusively by other devs - I've usually read it in independent reviews such as Linux Format magazine.

RandomName wrote:

there are millions of pages of detailed help

Thats partly what I was afraid of!

However, I take your point that FA should just work with Apache's defaults, so maybe I'm worrying unnecessarily.

But I would still be interested if anyone knows whether FA has any Apache-specific requirements, or if they've tried FA with any other server.