DEV Community: Andrew Quaye

How to Set Up Apache Virtual Hosts on an Ubuntu VM

Andrew Quaye — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:07:16 +0000

Apache Virtual Hosts allow you to host multiple websites or applications on a single server. Each domain or subdomain can point to its own directory, making it possible to run separate projects side by side.

🛠 Prerequisites

Ubuntu VM with sudo access
Apache2 installed (sudo apt install apache2 -y)
Domain names pointing to your server’s public IP (configured via DNS)

Step 1: Create Project Directory

Each site should have its own directory under /var/www/html.

Example for api.iquipe.cloud:

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/html/api
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/api
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/api

Add a test file:

echo "<?php phpinfo(); ?>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/api/index.php

Step 2: Create Virtual Host Configuration

Apache stores site configs in /etc/apache2/sites-available/.

Create a new file:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/api-your-domainname-com.conf

Add:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName api-your-domainname.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/api

    <Directory /var/www/html/api>
        Options FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/api_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/api_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Step 3: Enable the Site

Enable your new Virtual Host:

sudo a2ensite api-your-domainname-com.conf
sudo systemctl reload apache2

Disable the default site if you don’t need it:

sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf
sudo systemctl reload apache2

Step 4: Test Access

Visit:

http://api-your-domainname-com

You should see the PHP info page.

Step 5: Enable SSL (Recommended)

Install Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y

Request a certificate:

sudo certbot --apache -d api-your-domainname-com

Choose the redirect option so HTTP traffic is automatically redirected to HTTPS.

Step 6: Manage Multiple Virtual Hosts

Repeat the process for other domains (e.g., test.domainame.com). Each domain gets:

Its own directory under /var/www/html/
Its own config file under /etc/apache2/sites-available/
Its own SSL certificate (or a shared multi‑domain certificate)

✅ Conclusion

With Virtual Hosts, you can host multiple independent sites on one Ubuntu VM. Each domain points to its own directory, and Apache handles routing. Adding SSL ensures secure connections for all your hosted applications.

Automate DigitalOcean Droplet Creation with PHP (Including Root Password Setup!)

Andrew Quaye — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 06:50:57 +0000

Ever found yourself repeatedly creating DigitalOcean droplets, setting them up, and wishing there was a faster, more automated way? Well, you're in luck! In this article, we'll dive into how to use the DigitalOcean API and PHP to automate droplet creation, with a crucial focus on securely setting the root password.

Why Automate?

Automation is key to efficient development and DevOps workflows. By automating droplet creation, you can:

Save time: Eliminate manual setup processes.
Reduce errors: Ensure consistent configurations.
Scale easily: Quickly provision multiple droplets.
Integrate with CI/CD: Seamlessly incorporate cloud infrastructure into your pipelines.

Prerequisites:

A DigitalOcean account and API token. (Generate one in your DigitalOcean control panel.)
PHP installed with the cURL extension enabled.

The PHP Script:

Let's break down the PHP script that does the magic:

<?php

// DigitalOcean API Token (Replace with your actual token)
$apiToken = 'YOUR_DIGITALOCEAN_API_TOKEN';

// Droplet Configuration
$dropletName = 'my-new-droplet';
$region = 'nyc3'; // Example: New York 3
$size = 's-1vcpu-1gb'; // Example: 1GB RAM, 1 vCPU
$image = 'ubuntu-20-04-x64'; // Example: Ubuntu 20.04
$rootPassword = 'YourSecurePassword123!'; // Replace with a strong password

// API Endpoint
$apiUrl = '[https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/droplets](https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/droplets)';

// Request Data
$data = [
    'name' => $dropletName,
    'region' => $region,
    'size' => $size,
    'image' => $image,
    'ssh_keys' => [], // Optional: Add SSH keys if desired
    'backups' => false,
    'ipv6' => false,
    'user_data' => "#cloud-config\npassword: " . $rootPassword . "\nchpasswd:\n  list: |\n    root:" . $rootPassword . "\n  expire: false",
    'private_networking' => null,
    'volumes' => null,
    'tags' => [],
];

// Initialize cURL
$ch = curl_init($apiUrl);

// Set cURL options
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, json_encode($data));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, [
    'Content-Type: application/json',
    'Authorization: Bearer ' . $apiToken,
]);

// Execute the request
$response = curl_exec($ch);

// Check for errors
if (curl_errno($ch)) {
    echo 'cURL Error: ' . curl_error($ch);
} else {
    // Decode the JSON response
    $result = json_decode($response, true);

    // Handle the response
    if (isset($result['droplet'])) {
        echo 'Droplet created successfully!' . PHP_EOL;
        echo 'Droplet ID: ' . $result['droplet']['id'] . PHP_EOL;
        echo 'Droplet Name: ' . $result['droplet']['name'] . PHP_EOL;
        echo 'Droplet IP: ' . $result['droplet']['networks']['v4'][0]['ip_address'] . PHP_EOL;
        //It is very important to remove the password after the droplet is created.
    } else {
        echo 'Error creating droplet: ' . PHP_EOL;
        print_r($result); // Print the error details
    }
}

// Close cURL
curl_close($ch);

?>

Key Points and Security Considerations:

user_data for Root Password: The most secure method for setting the root password is by using the user_data field within the droplet creation request. This leverages cloud-init to configure the droplet upon initialization.
Immediate Password Change: After creating the droplet, immediately change the root password or disable password authentication altogether. SSH keys are strongly recommended for secure access.
Error Handling: The script includes robust error handling using curl_errno() and provides informative error messages.
Configuration: Remember to replace the placeholder values for your API token, droplet name, region, size, image, and password.
SSH Keys: The script includes a placeholder for ssh_keys. It is strongly recomended to use ssh keys instead of passwords.

How to Run the Script:

Save the code as a .php file (e.g., create_droplet.php).
Replace the placeholder values with your actual credentials and desired configuration.
Run the script from your terminal: php create_droplet.php

Further Enhancements:

Add SSH key support.
Implement input validation for user-provided parameters.
Create a web interface for easier droplet management.
Integrate with other tools.

Conclusion:

Automating DigitalOcean droplet creation with PHP can significantly streamline your workflow. By following the best practices outlined in this article, you can create droplets quickly and securely. Remember to prioritize security, especially when handling sensitive information like passwords.

Happy coding!