A Better Apache Image for Docker

This image is not just another Apache 2 image for Docker.

Why Use This Image

By default, Apache runs in the background as a daemon. This default behavior unnecessarily increased the difficulty to debug an issue during development. As an insult to the injury, running a Docker container in the foreground does not change this behavior as Apache runs as a daemon on the operating system level. This image forces Apache to run in the foreground and outputs its log into the container's stdio.

Benefits of Running Apache in the Foreground

Apache will respond to SIGTERM for a graceful shutdown.
With some more configuration (configured by default in this image), Apache can output its logs to the container's stdio for easier debugging.
Apache may behave similarly to dev_appserver.py from Google Cloud Platform's App Engine (i.e. it will output every connection to stdio).

Installation

By default, this image should be run as a daemon.

docker run -d -p 8080:80 ghifari160/apache

However, this image may be run in the foreground for debug purposes.

docker run -it -p 8080:80 ghifari160/apache

Further Configurations

Name your container

Add this parameter: --name <name>
Example:

docker run --name apache -d -p 8080:80 ghifari160/apache

Run your code from a folder on the host computer

Add this parameter -v /path/on/the/host/computer:/var/www/html
Example:

docker run -d -p 8080:80 -v /d/workspace/project:/var/www/html ghifari160/apache

Change the port on your container

Use this parameter -p <port on the host>:80 to map the container's port to another port on the host computer.
Example:

docker run -d -p 8080:80 ghifari160/apache

macOS permission fixes

On macOS, shared volumes remains owned by the host user and group. Permissions on these shared volumes are also determined by the host, unchangeable from guest. On the home directory, the default owner and permission are <user>:staff and 755. Apache needs write access to its files and directories. A workaround is to set the www-data UID and GID to 1000 and 50. The init script will do this if the value of G16_MACOS is yes. Use the parameter -e G16_MACOS=yes to enable this workaround. Example:

docker run -d -e G16_MACOS=yes ghifari160/apache

Tags	Ubuntu Version	Size
`16.04` `xenial`	16.04
`17.04` `zesty`	17.04	NOT SUPPORTED
`17.10` `artful`	17.10	NOT SUPPORTED
`latest` `18.04` `bionic`	18.04
`devel` `18.10` `cosmic`	18.10	NOT SUPPORTED

ghifari160 / docker-apache