# Manually Deploy an HTML Website on an HTTPD Server

**Introduction**

Deploying an HTML website on an HTTPD server is a fundamental skill for any web developer or system administrator. This process allows you to serve static web pages from a server to users on the internet. In this guide, we'll walk through the steps to manually deploy an HTML website on an HTTPD server.

### Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have the following:

* A Linux server (e.g., CentOS, RHEL, or Ubuntu).
    
* Root or sudo access to the server.
    
* A basic understanding of the Linux command line.
    
* A simple HTML website to deploy.
    

### **Step 1: Install Apache HTTPD Server**

The first step is to install the Apache HTTPD server. Apache is one of the most popular web servers in the world.

* **For CentOS/RHEL:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo yum update
    sudo yum install httpd -y
    ```
    
* **For Ubuntu:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install apache2 -y
    ```
    

Once installed, start the Apache service and enable it to start on boot:

```bash
sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl enable httpd
```

Verify the installation by checking the status:

```bash
sudo systemctl status httpd
```

### **Step 2: Configure Firewall**

If you have a firewall enabled, you need to allow HTTP traffic:

* **For CentOS/RHEL:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
    sudo firewall-cmd --reload
    ```
    
* **For Ubuntu:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo ufw allow 'Apache'
    sudo ufw reload
    ```
    

### **Step 3: Deploy Your HTML Website**

Now that the Apache server is running, you can deploy your HTML website.

1. **Navigate to the Document Root:** By default, Apache serves files from `/var/www/html`. You can navigate to this directory using:
    
    ```bash
    cd /var/www/html
    ```
    
2. **Upload Your Website Files:** Copy your HTML files (e.g., `index.html`) and any associated files (like CSS, JavaScript, or images) into this directory. You can use `scp` (secure copy) to transfer files from your local machine to the server:
    
    ```bash
    cp -r /path/to/your/website/files/* username@your-server-ip:/var/www/html/
    ```
    
3. **Set Permissions:** Ensure that Apache can read the files. Set the correct permissions:
    
    ```bash
    sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html
    sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html
    ```
    

### **Step 4: Test Your Website**

Open a web browser and enter your server's IP address. If everything is set up correctly, your HTML website should be displayed.

```bash
http://your-server-ip
```

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724520540812/d0fd17be-ec43-4f4a-bb5b-0f2d7ae0854b.png align="center")

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724520574129/7b394cc0-2248-473e-b673-55872887504f.png align="center")

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724520596493/1bd36054-7f39-4374-a949-e13764e224fb.png align="center")

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724520626890/dcac0821-fb1a-4700-b967-fbc9c8d1b485.png align="center")

### **Conclusion**

You've successfully deployed an HTML website on an HTTPD server! This process is the foundation of web hosting and is a critical skill in web development and DevOps. From here, you can expand by exploring how to host dynamic websites, secure your server with SSL, or automate deployments using CI/CD pipelines.