Apache HTTP Server Version 2.0

Manual Page: apachectl

NAME
     apachectl - Apache HTTP server control interface

SYNOPSIS
     apachectl command [...]

DESCRIPTION
     apachectl is a front end to the  Apache  HyperText  Transfer
     Protocol (HTTP) server.  It is designed to help the adminis-
     trator control the functioning of the Apache httpd daemon.

     NOTE: If your Apache installation uses  non-standard  paths,
     you  will  need  to  edit  the  apachectl  script to set the
     appropriate paths to your PID file and  your  httpd  binary.
     See the comments in the script for details.

     The apachectl script returns a 0 exit value on success,  and
     >0  if an error occurs.  For more details, view the comments
     in the script.

     Full   documentation   for   Apache    is    available    at
     http://httpd.apache.org/

OPTIONS
     The command can be any one or more of the following options:

     start       Start the Apache daemon.  Gives an error  if  it
                 is already running.

     stop        Stops the Apache daemon.

     restart     Restarts the  Apache  daemon  by  sending  it  a
                 SIGHUP.   If  the  daemon  is not running, it is
                 started.  This command automatically checks  the
                 configuration  files  via configtest before ini-
                 tiating the restart to make sure Apache  doesn't
                 die.

     fullstatus  Displays a full status report  from  mod_status.
                 For  this  to  work, you need to have mod_status
                 enabled on your server and a text-based  browser
                 such  as lynx available on your system.  The URL
                 used to access the status report can be  set  by
                 editing the STATUSURL variable in the script.

     status      Displays a brief status report.  Similar to  the
                 fullstatus  option,  except  that  the  list  of
                 requests currently being served is omitted.

     graceful    Gracefully restarts the Apache daemon by sending
                 it a SIGUSR1.  If the daemon is not running,  it
                 is started.  This differs from a normal  restart
                 in  that  currently  open  connections  are  not
                 aborted.  A side effect is that  old  log  files
                 will not be closed immediately.  This means that
                 if used in a log rotation script, a  substantial
                 delay  may  be  necessary to ensure that the old
                 log files are  closed  before  processing  them.
                 This command automatically checks the configura-
                 tion files via configtest before initiating  the
                 restart to make sure  Apache  doesn't  die.   On 
                 certain  platforms that  do not allow USR1 to be 
                 used  for  a  graceful  restart,  an alternative 
                 signal may be used  (such as WINCH).   apachectl 
                 graceful will send  the right  signal  for  your 
                 platform.

     configtest  Run a configuration file syntax test. It  parses
                 the  configuration files and either reports Syn-
                 tax Ok or detailed information about the partic-
                 ular syntax error.

     help        Displays a short help message.

SEE ALSO
     httpd(8)

Apache HTTP Server Version 2.0