Mac OS x Restart Apache Web Server

Author: Vivek Gite Last updated: December 24, 2009 12 comments

How do I restart Apache web server under Mac OS X operating systems?

The apachectl command act as Apache HTTP Server control interface. It can be used to start, stop, and restart the Apache web server from command line.

Task: Stop Apache Web server

sudo  apachectl -k stop

Task: Start Apache Web server

sudo  apachectl -k start

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12 comments… add one

Robert de Bock Nov 27, 2009 @ 11:59

Thanks, but it might be easier this way: Open the “Sharing” preference, (de-)select “Web Sharing”.

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🐧 nixCraft Nov 27, 2009 @ 13:54

I was just wondering if OS X got some sort of service manager. I need to dig it a little more…

thanks for the comment!

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Robert de Bock Nov 27, 2009 @ 14:10

The software to start/stop (load/unload) services is called “launchctl”. From the man page:
launchctl interfaces with launchd to load, unload daemons/agents and generally control launchd. launchctl supports taking subcommands on the command line, interactively or even redirected from standard input. These commands can be stored in $HOME/.launchd.conf or /etc/launchd.conf to be read at the time launchd starts.

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Leaman Crews Nov 27, 2009 @ 17:15

Vivek, what does the -k switch do? I couldn’t find it in the man page for apachectl on a Mac OS X system.

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🐧 nixCraft Nov 27, 2009 @ 18:37
@Robert, I will look into it.

@Leaman, the apachectl command works in two modes:
a) Sys v style mode – One line command mode which take args like start, restart, and stop, and translating them into appropriate UNIX signals to httpd.
```
apachectl start | stop | restart | graceful|graceful-stop
```
b) Traditional UNIX mode with lots of options for testing and debugging. In this mode it can act as a simple front-end to the httpd command that simply sets necessary environment variables and then invokes httpd, passing through any command line arguments.
```
apachectl -t
apachectl -k stat | stop
apachectl -d /webroot
....
```
HTH
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Mashin Abad Apr 20, 2011 @ 7:53

it does’mt work for me :(

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Sumit Jul 3, 2011 @ 9:06

SUM-IT:~ sumitgupta$ apachectl -k graceful
httpd: Syntax error on line 488 of /private/etc/apache2/httpd.conf: Syntax error on line 8 of /private/etc/apache2/other/+entropy-php.conf: Cannot load /usr/local/php5/libphp5.so into server: dlopen(/usr/local/php5/libphp5.so, 10): Symbol not found: _libiconv\n Referenced from: /usr/local/php5/lib/libintl.8.dylib\n Expected in: /usr/lib/libiconv.2.dylib\n
SUM-IT:~ sumitgupta$

this is the problem i am facing please help…..

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javier Aug 5, 2011 @ 17:29

i receive an error when I try to restart apache with: sudo apachectl restart
the error reads: /urs/sbin/apachectL: line 73: unlimit: open files: cannot modify limit: invalid argument

can anyone help! please.

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- Mike Ritter Oct 7, 2012 @ 0:30
  
  Solution is here http://wordpress.org/support/topic/upgraded-to-php-530-on-mac-now-no-database-connection
  
  changes are to be made in “/usr/sbin/apachectl”
  
  comment out the these lines.
  
  i did this through the command line using ‘vi’ commands
  
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leamanc Aug 5, 2011 @ 17:36

@Javier, I’d say there is an error in your httpd.conf file. Open it up in the plain-text editor of your choice–one that shows line numbers–and look at line 73. There is either a syntax error or an invalid argument for the option contained on that line.

Good luck!

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- javier Aug 5, 2011 @ 21:08
  
  lemanc,
  i went to httpd.conf file and line 73 is ‘LoadModule include_module libexec/apache2/mod_include.so ‘ do you know anything about this kind of issue?
  thanks in advanced!
  
  Reply Link
- Mike Ritter Oct 7, 2012 @ 0:32
  
  This is not the correct solution. Please see my other reply for the solution.
  
  Reply Link