Compiling Apache for Microsoft Windows

Available Languages: en | + fr | + ko

+ + +

There are many important points to consider before you begin compiling + Apache HTTP Server (httpd). See Using Apache HTTP + Server on Microsoft Windows before you begin.

+ +

httpd can be built on Windows using a cmake-based build system or with + Visual Studio project files maintained by httpd developers. The cmake-based + build system directly supports more versions of Visual Studio but currently + has considerable functional limitations.

+ +

Building httpd with the included Visual Studio project files
Building httpd with cmake

Building httpd with the included Visual Studio project files

+ + +

Requirements

+ + + +

Compiling Apache requires the following environment to be + properly installed:

+ +

+
Disk Space
+ +
Make sure you have at least 200 MB of free disk space + available. After installation Apache requires approximately + 80 MB of disk space, plus space for log and cache files, + which can grow rapidly. The actual disk space requirements + will vary considerably based on your chosen configuration and + any third-party modules or libraries, especially when OpenSSL + is also built. Because many files are text and very easily + compressed, NTFS filesystem compression cuts these requirements + in half.
+
+
Appropriate Patches
+ +
The httpd binary is built with the help of several patches to + third party packages, which ensure the released code is buildable + and debuggable. These patches are available and distributed from http://www.apache.org/dist/httpd/binaries/win32/patches_applied/ + and are recommended to be applied to obtain identical results as the + "official" ASF distributed binaries.
+
+
Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 (Visual Studio 97) or later.
+ +
Apache can be built using the command line tools, or from + within the Visual Studio IDE Workbench. The command line + build requires the environment to reflect the PATH, + INCLUDE, LIB and other variables + that can be configured with the vcvars32.bat script.
+ +
You may want the Visual Studio Processor Pack for your older + version of Visual Studio, or a full (not Express) version of newer + Visual Studio editions, for the ml.exe assembler. This will allow + you to build OpenSSL, if desired, using the more efficient assembly + code implementation.
+ +
Only the Microsoft compiler tool chain is actively supported by + the active httpd contributors. Although the project regularly accepts + patches to ensure MinGW and other alternative builds work and improve + upon them, they are not actively maintained and are often broken in + the course of normal development.
+
+
Updated Microsoft Windows Platform SDK, February 2003 or later.
+ +
An appropriate Windows Platform SDK is included by default in the + full (not express/lite) versions of Visual C++ 7.1 (Visual Studio 2002) + and later, these users can ignore these steps unless explicitly choosing + a newer or different version of the Platform SDK.
+ +
To use Visual C++ 6.0 or 7.0 (Studio 2000 .NET), the Platform SDK + environment must be prepared using the setenv.bat + script (installed by the Platform SDK) before starting the command + line build or launching the msdev/devenv GUI environment. Installing + the Platform SDK for Visual Studio Express versions (2003 and later) + should adjust the default environment appropriately.
+ +
+ "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Bin\VCVARS32" + "c:\Program Files\Platform SDK\setenv.bat" +
+
+
Perl and awk
+ +
Several steps recommended here require a perl interpreter during + the build preparation process, but it is otherwise not required.
+ +
To install Apache within the build system, several files are + modified using the awk.exe utility. awk was chosen since + it is a very small download (compared with Perl or WSH/VB) and + accomplishes the task of modifying configuration files upon + installation. Brian Kernighan's + http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~bwk/btl.mirror/ + site has a compiled native Win32 binary, + http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~bwk/btl.mirror/awk95.exe which + you must save with the name awk.exe (rather than + awk95.exe).
+ +
If awk.exe is not found, Makefile.win's install target + will not perform substitutions in the installed .conf files. + You must manually modify the installed .conf files to allow + the server to start. Search and replace all "@token@" tags + as appropriate.
+ +
The Visual Studio IDE will only find awk.exe + from the PATH, or executable path specified in the menu option + Tools -> Options -> (Projects ->) Directories. Ensure + awk.exe is in your system path.
+ +
Also note that if you are using Cygwin tools + (http://www.cygwin.com/) + the awk utility is named gawk.exe and that the file + awk.exe is really a symlink to the gawk.exe + file. The Windows command shell does not recognize symlinks, and + because of this building InstallBin will fail. A workaround is + to delete awk.exe from the cygwin installation and + copy gawk.exe to awk.exe. Also note the + cygwin/mingw ports of gawk 3.0.x were buggy, please upgrade to 3.1.x + before attempting to use any gawk port.
+
+
[Optional] zlib library (for mod_deflate)
+ +
Zlib must be installed into a srclib subdirectory named + zlib. This must be built in-place. Zlib can be obtained + from http://www.zlib.net/ -- the + mod_deflate is confirmed to work correctly with + version 1.2.3.
+ +
+ nmake -f win32\Makefile.msc + nmake -f win32\Makefile.msc test +
+
+
[Optional] OpenSSL libraries (for mod_ssl + and ab.exe with ssl support)
+ +
The OpenSSL library is cryptographic software. The country + in which you currently reside may have restrictions on the import, + possession, use, and/or re-export to another country, of encryption + software. BEFORE using any encryption software, please check your + country's laws, regulations and policies concerning the import, + possession, or use, and re-export of encryption software, to see + if this is permitted. See + http://www.wassenaar.org/ + for more information.
+ +
Configuring and building OpenSSL requires perl to be installed.
+ +
OpenSSL must be installed into a srclib subdirectory + named openssl, obtained from + http://www.openssl.org/source/, in order to compile + mod_ssl or the abs.exe project, which + is ab.c with SSL support enabled. To prepare OpenSSL to be linked + to Apache mod_ssl or abs.exe, and disable patent encumbered features + in OpenSSL, you might use the following build commands:
+ +
+ perl Configure no-rc5 no-idea enable-mdc2 enable-zlib VC-WIN32 + -Ipath/to/srclib/zlib -Lpath/to/srclib/zlib + ms\do_masm.bat + nmake -f ms\ntdll.mak +
+ +
It is not advisable to use zlib-dynamic, as that transfers + the cost of deflating SSL streams to the first request which must + load the zlib dll. Note the suggested patch enables the -L flag to + work with windows builds, corrects the name of zdll.lib and ensures + .pdb files are generated for troubleshooting. If the assembler is + not installed, you would add no-asm above and use ms\do_ms.bat + instead of the ms\do_masm.bat script.
+
+
[Optional] Database libraries (for mod_dbd + and mod_authn_dbm)
+ +
The apr-util library exposes dbm (keyed database) and dbd (query + oriented database) client functionality to the httpd server and its + modules, such as authentication and authorization. The sdbm dbm and + odbc dbd providers are compiled unconditionally.
+ +
The dbd support includes the Oracle instantclient package, MySQL, + PostgreSQL and sqlite. To build these all, for example, set up the + LIB to include the library path, INCLUDE to include the headers path, + and PATH to include the dll bin path of all four SDK's, and set the + DBD_LIST environment variable to inform the build which client driver + SDKs are installed correctly, e.g.;
+ +
+ set DBD_LIST=sqlite3 pgsql oracle mysql +
+ +
Similarly, the dbm support can be extended with DBM_LIST to + build a Berkeley DB provider (db) and/or gdbm provider, by similarly + configuring LIB, INCLUDE and PATH first to ensure the client library + libs and headers are available.
+ +
+ set DBM_LIST=db gdbm +
+ +
Depending on the choice of database distributions, it may be + necessary to change the actual link target name (e.g. gdbm.lib vs. + libgdb.lib) that are listed in the corresponding .dsp/.mak files + within the directories srclib\apr-util\dbd or ...\dbm.
+ +
See the README-win32.txt file for more hints on obtaining the + various database driver SDKs.
+

+ + + +

Building from Unix sources

+ + + +

The policy of the Apache HTTP Server project is to only release Unix sources. + Windows source packages made available for download have been supplied by + volunteers and may not be available for every release. You can still build + the server on Windows from the Unix source tarball with just a few additional + steps.

+ +

Download and unpack the Unix source tarball for the latest version.
Download and unpack the Unix source tarball for latest version of + APR, AR-Util and APR-Iconv, place these sources in directories httpd-2.x.x\srclib\apr, httpd-2.x.x\srclib\apr-util and httpd-2.x.x\srclib\apr-iconv
Open a Command Prompt and CD to the httpd-2.x.x folder
Run the line endings conversion utility at the prompt;

+ +

+ perl srclib\apr\build\lineends.pl +

+ +

You can now build the server with the Visual Studio development + environment using the IDE. Command-Line builds of the server are not + possible from Unix sources unless you export .mak files as explained + below. +

+ + + +

Command-Line Build

+ + + +

Makefile.win is the top level Apache makefile. + To compile Apache on Windows, simply use one of the following commands + to build the release or debug flavor:

+ +

+ nmake /f Makefile.win _apacher + nmake /f Makefile.win _apached +

+ +

Either command will compile Apache. The latter will disable + optimization of the resulting files, making it easier to single + step the code to find bugs and track down problems.

+ +

You can add your apr-util dbd and dbm provider choices with the + additional make (environment) variables DBD_LIST and DBM_LIST, + see the comments about [Optional] Database libraries, above. + Review the initial comments in Makefile.win for additional options + that can be provided when invoking the build.

+ + + +

Developer Studio Workspace IDE Build

+ + + +

Apache can also be compiled using VC++'s Visual Studio + development environment. To simplify this process, a + Visual Studio workspace, Apache.dsw, is provided. + This workspace exposes the entire list of working .dsp + projects that are required for the complete Apache binary release. + It includes dependencies between the projects to assure that they + are built in the appropriate order.

+ +

Open the Apache.dsw workspace, and select + InstallBin (Release or Debug build, + as desired) as the Active Project. InstallBin causes all + related project to be built, and then invokes Makefile.win to + move the compiled executables and dlls. You may personalize the + INSTDIR= choice by changing InstallBin's Settings, + General tab, Build command line entry. INSTDIR defaults to the + /Apache2 directory. If you only want a test compile (without + installing) you may build the BuildBin project instead.

+ +

The .dsp project files are distributed in Visual Studio 6.0 + (98) format. Visual C++ 5.0 (97) will recognize them. Visual Studio + 2002 (.NET) and later users must convert Apache.dsw plus + the .dsp files into an Apache.sln plus + .msproj files. Be sure you reconvert the .msproj + file again if its source .dsp file changes! This is really + trivial, just open Apache.dsw in the VC++ 7.0 IDE once again + and reconvert.

+ +

There is a flaw in the .vcproj conversion of .dsp files. devenv.exe + will mis-parse the /D flag for RC flags containing long quoted /D'efines + which contain spaces. The command: +

+ perl srclib\apr\build\cvtdsp.pl -2005 +

+ will convert the /D flags for RC flags to use an alternate, parseable + syntax; unfortunately this syntax isn't supported by Visual Studio 97 + or its exported .mak files. These /D flags are used to pass the long + description of the mod_apachemodule.so files to the shared .rc resource + version-identifier build.

+ +

Building with OpenSSL 1.1.0 and up + Due to difference in the build structure of OpenSSL begining with version + 1.1.0 you will need to convert the dsp files affected with cvtdsp.pl from + APR 1.6 or greater. The command: +

+ perl srclib\apr\build\cvtdsp.pl -ossl11 +

+ +

Visual Studio 2002 (.NET) and later users should also use the Build + menu, Configuration Manager dialog to uncheck both the Debug + and Release Solution modules abs, + mod_deflate and mod_ssl components, as + well as every component starting with apr_db*. These modules + are built by invoking nmake, or the IDE directly with the + BinBuild target, which builds those modules conditionally + if the srclib directories openssl and/or + zlib exist, and based on the setting of DBD_LIST + and DBM_LIST environment variables.

+ + + +

Exporting command-line .mak files

+ + + +

Exported .mak files pose a greater hassle, but they are + required for Visual C++ 5.0 users to build mod_ssl, + abs (ab with SSL support) and/or + mod_deflate. The .mak files also support a broader + range of C++ tool chain distributions, such as Visual Studio Express.

+ +

You must first build all projects in order to create all dynamic + auto-generated targets, so that dependencies can be parsed correctly. + Build the entire project from within the Visual Studio 6.0 (98) IDE, + using the BuildAll target, then use the Project Menu Export + for all makefiles (checking on "with dependencies".) Run the following + command to correct absolute paths into relative paths so they will build + anywhere:

+ +

+ perl srclib\apr\build\fixwin32mak.pl +

+ +

You must type this command from the top level + directory of the httpd source tree. Every + .mak and .dep project file within + the current directory and below will be corrected, and the + timestamps adjusted to reflect the .dsp.

+ +

Always review the generated .mak and .dep + files for Platform SDK or other local, machine specific file paths. + The DevStudio\Common\MSDev98\bin\ (VC6) directory contains + a sysincl.dat file, which lists all exceptions. Update + this file (including both forward and backslashed paths, such as both + sys/time.h and sys\time.h) to ignore such + newer dependencies. Including local-install paths in a distributed + .mak file will cause the build to fail completely.

+ +

If you contribute back a patch that revises project files, we + must commit project files in Visual Studio 6.0 format. Changes + should be simple, with minimal compilation and linkage flags that + can be recognized by all Visual Studio environments.

+ + + +

Installation

+ + + +

Once Apache has been compiled, it needs to be installed in + its server root directory. The default is the + \Apache2 directory, of the same drive.

+ +

To build and install all the files into the desired folder + dir automatically, use one of the following + nmake commands:

+ +

+ nmake /f Makefile.win installr INSTDIR=dir + nmake /f Makefile.win installd INSTDIR=dir +

+ +

The dir argument to INSTDIR provides + the installation directory; it can be omitted if Apache is + to be installed into \Apache22 (of the current + drive).

+ + + +

Warning about building Apache from the development tree

+ + + +

Note only the .dsp files are maintained between release + builds. The .mak files are NOT regenerated, due to the tremendous + waste of reviewer's time. Therefore, you cannot rely on the NMAKE + commands above to build revised .dsp project files unless you + then export all .mak files yourself from the project. This is + unnecessary if you build from within the Microsoft + Developer Studio environment.

+ + +

Building httpd with cmake

+ + +

The primary documentation for this build mechanism is in the + README.cmake file in the source distribution. Refer to that file + for detailed instructions.

+ +

Building httpd with cmake requires building APR and APR-util separately. + Refer to their README.cmake files for instructions.

+ +

The primary limitations of the cmake-based build are inherited from the APR-util + project, and are listed below because of their impact on httpd:

+ +

No cmake build for the APR-iconv subproject is available, and the + APR-util cmake build cannot consume an existing APR-iconv build. Thus, + mod_charset_lite and possibly some third-party modules + cannot be used.
The cmake build for the APR-util subproject does not support most of the + optional DBM and DBD libraries supported by the included Visual Studio + project files. This limits the database backends supported by a number of + bundled and third-party modules.

+ +

Compiling Apache for Microsoft Windows

See also

Building httpd with the included Visual Studio project files

Requirements

Building from Unix sources

Command-Line Build

Developer Studio Workspace IDE Build

Exporting command-line .mak files

Installation

Warning about building Apache from the development tree

Building httpd with cmake

Comments