To enable Apache for per-user directory, there are some settings need to configure.

What is per-user directory?

Apache server default directory for webpage files is at /var/www. All website files are put here. Per-user directory let different user have different website root directories under their own home directory.

Environment

• Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
• Ubuntu default LAMP stack
• Assume all default Apache, PHP, MySQL(LAMP) are already working on Ubuntu. Open http://localhost/ in your browser to check if Apache is properly working.

Now we just have to modify some configurations to enable per-user directory feature.

Configuration

1. Enable ‘userdir’ module

   • sudo a2enmod userdir

2. Create public_html folders under each user home directory and assign proper permissions

   • mkdir ~/public_html
   • chmod 755 ~/public_html

3. Configure PHP

   • sudo vim /etc/apache2/mods-available/php5.conf edit PHP configuration file
   • comment(#) some lines in configuration files: <IfModule mod_userdir.c> <Directory /home/*/public_html> php_admin_value engine Off </Directory> </IfModule>

4. Restart Apache service

   • sudo service apache2 restart

Finish

Now web address should be http://localhost/~username/

Reference

• http://infraadvisory.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/userdir-module-per-user-directory-for-apache/ (opens new window)