How To Run Apache as Current User in Ubuntu: A Guide to Configuring suexec

In this guide, we will explore how to run Apache as the current user in Ubuntu. This can be particularly useful in development environments where you want to avoid permission issues. However, it’s important to note that running Apache as the current user in a production environment can have security implications, so it’s generally recommended to run it as a separate user like www-data.

Method 1: Editing the envvars file

The first method involves editing the envvars file, which is a configuration file for Apache.

1. Open the envvars file using the following command:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/envvars

This command uses sudo to run the command as a superuser, nano to open the file in the nano text editor, and /etc/apache2/envvars is the path to the file.

2. In the envvars file, locate the lines that set the APACHE_RUN_USER and APACHE_RUN_GROUP variables. These variables determine the user and group that Apache runs as.
3. Change the values of these variables to your current username. For example, if your username is john, you would change the lines to:

export APACHE_RUN_USER=john
export APACHE_RUN_GROUP=john

4. Save the file and exit the editor. In nano, you can do this by pressing Ctrl+X, then Y to confirm that you want to save the changes, and then Enter to confirm the file name.
5. Restart Apache so that the changes take effect. You can do this with the following command:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Method 2: Adding the User to the www-data Group

The second method involves adding your current user to the www-data group. This is the group that Apache usually runs as.

1. Add your current user to the www-data group using the following command:

sudo adduser john www-data

Replace john with your actual username. This command adds the user john to the www-data group.

2. Restart Apache so that the changes take effect:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Method 3: Using the mpm_itk_module Module

The third method involves using the mpm_itk_module module, which allows you to run each of your vhost under a separate uid and gid.

1. Install the mpm_itk_module module by running the following command:

sudo apt install libapache2-mpm-itk

2. Create a virtual host configuration file for your sites in your home folder. For example, create a file named john.conf in the /etc/apache2/sites-available/ directory.
3. In the virtual host configuration file, specify the AssignUserId directive with your current username. For example:

AssignUserId john john

This command tells Apache to run the virtual host as the user john.

4. Save the file and exit the editor.
5. Enable the virtual host by running the following command:

sudo a2ensite john.conf

This command enables the site john.conf.

6. Restart Apache so that the changes take effect:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Method 4: Using PHP’s Built-in Server

The fourth method involves using PHP’s built-in server. This is useful for local development and avoids the need to configure Apache.

1. Open a terminal and navigate to the root directory of your web project.
2. Start PHP’s built-in server with the following command:

php -S localhost:8080 -t /path/to/your/project

This command starts a PHP server on localhost at port 8080, and the -t option specifies the root directory of your web project.

3. Access your website in the browser at http://localhost:8080.

In conclusion, there are several ways to run Apache as the current user in Ubuntu. The method you choose depends on your specific needs and the environment you’re working in. Remember to consider the security implications before running Apache as the current user in a production environment.