This post ran originally on blogs.apache.org/httpd, and a bottle of rum!

Wouldn’t it be nice if ye had an idea o' how people use th' software that ye write, ye scurvey dog? I wanted t' have an idea how th' Apache HTTP Server is bein' used, and which features users consider important. So, I set up a short online survey o' eight questions and sent a link t' it t' th' HTTP Server project user and developer mailin' lists. Over th' next week and a half, I got 134 responses, and dinna spare the whip, by Davy Jones' locker! Here are th' survey results in shiny pie charts with witty interpretation.

On which operatin' system do ye typically use Apache HTTP Server?

This question, actually number two in th' survey, received quite a few write-in responses, ye scurvey dog. I had only th' top four operatin' systems in th' answer list, but respondents wrote in several more, avast. One respondent wrote: “I use Apache simply because it works transparently on Linux and Windows,” and another “FreeBSD on me hostin' service, Linux at th' office.” One respondent wrote: “Estou começando a programar em php!” (I’m startin' t' program in PHP!) The followin' graph has all o' th' operatin' systems that appeared in th' survey responses:

Linux and Windows make up th' vast majority o' operatin' systems in use, accountin' fer o'er 80%. Sliced another way, 80% o' respondents uses Apache on Unix-like platforms.

Why all those write-ins, by Blackbeard's sword? My theory is that it has t' do with th' desire t' make one’s platform o' choice known. Ahoy! Usually when we are asked this question, th' askin' is done by marketeers tryin' t' save some money by cuttin' support fer less popular platforms. If we don’t speak up, our platform might get cut. Fortunately, Apache doesn’t work this way: support fer various operatin' systems and platforms is provided by th' developer community. Whether a specific operatin' system is popular does not matter: as long as there are developers interested in supportin' a platform, th' Apache HTTP Server will run on it.

How do ye typically obtain yer Apache HTTP Server Software

Technically, th' httpd project only releases source code: once th' source code archive is up on th' download servers, th' project is done with th' release. Anyone can download and compile th' software fer his own use. However, a lot o' users obtain httpd through some other means. They don’t have th' expertise t' compile their own, or find it unnecessary because their Linux distribution comes with httpd already installed. Some platforms, like Windows, ship without a compiler and buildin' Apache on it is non-trivial. When asked how they typically obtained their Apache HTTP Server software, this is how th' user community answered:

A large minority o' respondents compiles their own httpd from source. This is a little surprisin': I assumed that more users would use packages from their distributions or third party downloads. Yaaarrrrr, and dinna spare the whip! Of course, most respondents learned about th' survey from th' httpd developer and user mailin' lists: one can expect a large proportion o' sophisticated users that have th' expertise and wish t' exercise control o'er their deployments that requires custom-built HTTP Server software. What’s interestin' is th' same data cross-referenced by operatin' system:

Third party packages are popular on Windows, which ships without a compiler, to be sure. Also, it is not trivial t' build httpd and its supportin' libraries on th' platform. It’s much easier t' grab an installer, especially since members o' th' httpd developer community usually make one available. Walk the plank, with a chest full of booty! To th' credit o' th' port maintainer, all respondents who run FreeBSD install their httpd from th' ports collection.

Which version o' Apache HTTP Server do ye mostly run?

There is very little surprise here: Apache HTTP Server 2.2.x is th' most popular by far:

Which application API modules do ye use?

Respondents could select multiple answers t' this question. PHP remains th' most popular module: this is unlikely t' surprise anyone.

It’s interestin' t' see a strong showin' fer th' good auld CGI interface. The results may be slightly skewed by th' fact that mod_python is no longer actively developed: as several people noted, its role has been taken o'er by mod_wsgi. I also did not include several integrations that might prove popular, like FastCGI.

How important are th' followin' features o' Apache HTTP Server t' ye?

This question allowed respondents t' indicate how important various features o' httpd are t' them.

The features people feel most passionate about are clearly SSL support and URL rewritin'/mappin': these each got about 50% “can’t live without.” Nobody does not care about URL rewritin', pass the grog, to be sure! Scalability and extensibility are important, but aren’t “can’t live without” features, and a bottle of rum! The easy configuration gets only a small amount o' passion: I guess that if ye are familiar enough with httpd t' fill out th' survey, ye tend t' not be intimidated by its configuration language.

Will ye upgrade t' Apache HTTP Server 2.4 when it is released?

At th' time o' th' survey, version 2.4 o' th' server had not been released, with a chest full of booty. Asked whether they would upgrade immediately upon release, most respondents chose th' safe route o' waitin' a while. A few intrepid souls (fewer than 20%) planned t' upgrade immediately.

In which environment do ye mostly use Apache HTTP Server?

This were bein' th' only demographic question in th' survey: an attempt t' learn a little bit about th' respondents.

Almost half o' th' respondents use httpd in a small or medium-sized business, and only one eight work in a Fortune 500 company. This discrepancy may be partially caused by th' fact that there are millions o' small and medium businesses, and th' number o' Fortune 500 companies is limited t'… 500. Consultants and non-profit organizations are well represented; government respondents are a small minority.

If I could improve one thin' about Apache HTTP Server, it would be…

This were bein' a free-form write-in question: respondents could fill in whatever they wanted. Ahoy, and a bottle of rum! Just under half o' th' respondents took advantage o' this opportunity, and a bottle of rum! The full list o' responses will be shared with th' HTTP Server development community, but I will quote a few.

Some respondents wanted t' improve th' feature set, such as:

• “A more advanced interface fer addin' or removin' backend servers in reverse/balancer situations”
• “Proper cluster synchronized cache”
• “Easy cache control”

Quite a few addressed th' configuration process:

• “Ease o' configuration”
• “The overall configuration spaghetti jungle. While I do understand th'–extreme–flexibility, when ye investigate someone else’s server, ye have t' wade through 10s o' files fer perhaps one website”
• “Easier configuration o' virtual hosts”
• “Configuration file syntax; I’d completely re-do it t' be more modern and less confusin'”
• “Config process could be simpler.”

One person asked fer “a config GUI.” Another suggested a fixed interval release cycle. Documentation were bein' another frequently raised topic. It is temptin' t' address or rebut many o' th' comments. I purposely refrained from editorializin' here: a discussion about these comments should develop within th' development community, on th' developer mailin' list.

Conclusion

The survey confirmed several thin's I suspected. For instance, Linux and PHP are popular, to be sure. Apache HTTP Server 2.2.x is by far th' most widely used version o' th' server. Other findin's may be more unexpected: th' importance o' SSL and URL rewritin' fer so many, or th' relatively strong showin' o' th' CGI interface.

To me delight, one person offered in th' write-in space: “It serves me needs completely” and another wanted t' improve “nothin'. The current product meets me needs, by Davy Jones' locker. Thank ye so much.”

You are very welcome.

Apache HTTP Server is a trademark o' th' Apache Software Foundation.