Install Ubuntu’s apache2 package with ansible.builtin.apt, manage the apache2 service declaratively, render virtual-host files into /etc/apache2/, and use handlers so Apache restarts only when its configuration changes. The result is repeatable on every host in an inventory group instead of a sequence of one-off shell commands.
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This guide builds an HTTP virtual host, explains how to enable modules and sites safely, adds the requirements for HTTPS, and ends with checks that prove the package, service, configuration, and response are all correct.
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What you need before running the playbook
The target must be an Ubuntu system reachable by Ansible over SSH. The remote account needs privilege escalation because package installation and writes below /etc/apache2/ require root. Install Ansible on your control machine and define an inventory group named webservers.
Example inventory
[webservers]
web01 ansible_host=203.0.113.10
web02 ansible_host=203.0.113.11
[webservers:vars]
ansible_user=ubuntuUse the SSH username appropriate for your image. If passwordless sudo is not configured, run the playbook with --ask-become-pass. Keep the Ubuntu release and ansible-core versions consistent with the systems you intend to manage; module parameters and package defaults can differ between releases.
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Recommended project layout
apache-ansible/
├── inventory.ini
├── site.yml
└── templates/
├── site.conf.j2
└── site-ssl.conf.j2A role can later move these files into roles/apache/, but a playbook is enough for a single service or a small deployment.
Install Apache and keep the service enabled
Ubuntu’s package is named apache2. The documented manual sequence is an apt metadata refresh followed by installation; the Ansible equivalent combines both operations in one declarative task. state: present means the package must exist without forcing an upgrade on every run.
Base playbook
---
- name: Install and configure Apache on Ubuntu
hosts: webservers
become: true
vars:
apache_package: apache2
apache_service: apache2
apache_server_name: example.com
apache_document_root: /var/www/example.com
tasks:
- name: Refresh apt metadata and install Apache
ansible.builtin.apt:
name: "{{ apache_package }}"
state: present
update_cache: true
cache_valid_time: 3600
- name: Create the document root
ansible.builtin.file:
path: "{{ apache_document_root }}"
state: directory
owner: root
group: root
mode: '0755'
- name: Install a test index page
ansible.builtin.copy:
dest: "{{ apache_document_root }}/index.html"
content: "<!doctype html>n<html><body><h1>{{ apache_server_name }}</h1></body></html>n"
owner: root
group: root
mode: '0644'
- name: Ensure Apache is running and enabled
ansible.builtin.service:
name: "{{ apache_service }}"
state: started
enabled: true
handlers:
- name: Restart Apache
ansible.builtin.service:
name: "{{ apache_service }}"
state: restartedThe update_cache option performs the equivalent of apt update. cache_valid_time: 3600 avoids refreshing metadata more than once per hour on a host that has been managed recently. Adjust the interval or remove it when your change process requires a fresh index on every run.
The service task has two independent guarantees: Apache is started now, and it is enabled to start at boot. A service that is merely running can still be absent after a reboot, while an enabled but stopped service does not serve traffic.
Render an Apache virtual host from a template
Ubuntu keeps Apache directives in plain-text files below /etc/apache2/. On current Ubuntu releases, the main configuration file is /etc/apache2/apache2.conf; the old single-file httpd.conf layout is not the normal arrangement. Site-specific definitions belong in /etc/apache2/sites-available/ and are activated through /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/.
HTTP virtual-host template
Create templates/site.conf.j2:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName {{ apache_server_name }}
DocumentRoot {{ apache_document_root }}
<Directory {{ apache_document_root }}>
Options FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
Require all granted
</Directory>
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/{{ apache_server_name }}-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/{{ apache_server_name }}-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>ServerName identifies the domain handled by this virtual host. Set it to the DNS name that clients will request rather than relying on a broad default. DocumentRoot points to the application files, and the <Directory> block explicitly grants Apache access to that path. Change the access policy if the application requires a narrower rule.
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Add these tasks before the service task in site.yml:
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- name: Render the site virtual host
ansible.builtin.template:
src: site.conf.j2
dest: "/etc/apache2/sites-available/{{ apache_server_name }}.conf"
owner: root
group: root
mode: '0644'
notify: Restart Apache
- name: Enable the site
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: "a2ensite {{ apache_server_name }}.conf"
creates: "/etc/apache2/sites-enabled/{{ apache_server_name }}.conf"
notify: Restart ApacheThe creates guard makes the a2ensite command idempotent: once the enabled-site link exists, Ansible skips the command and does not report a change. If you deliberately change the site filename, remove the old link or manage it explicitly with ansible.builtin.file so an obsolete virtual host is not left enabled.
Ubuntu’s default setup is virtual-host-friendly. If the requested host name does not match any ServerName, Apache may answer with the first/default site instead of the intended application, so test the hostname rather than only the server IP.
Use handlers to avoid unnecessary restarts
A handler runs only when a notifying task reports a change. In this playbook, a modified template or newly enabled site queues Restart Apache; an unchanged second run does not restart the daemon. This prevents needless connection interruptions and keeps configuration changes tied to the service operation that makes them effective.
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Keep one handler name for all Apache configuration changes, including module enablement and certificate deployment. Ansible coalesces multiple notifications during a play, so several changed files still produce one restart at the end of the relevant section.
Validate before restarting when the change is high risk
For production changes, add a configuration test task and restart only if it succeeds:
- name: Check Apache configuration syntax
ansible.builtin.command: apache2ctl configtest
changed_when: false
notify: Restart ApacheBecause handlers normally run after tasks complete, a failed syntax check stops the play before the queued restart is applied. You can also run the command manually on a host when diagnosing a failed deployment.
Enable only the Apache modules the application needs
Apache is modular. Ubuntu provides a2enmod to enable a module and a2dismod to disable one. Do not enable a broad collection by default; each module expands the active configuration and, in some cases, the attack surface.
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Idempotent module enablement
For a module whose load file is known, use its file in /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/ as the guard:
- name: Enable the headers module
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: a2enmod headers
creates: /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/headers.load
notify: Restart ApacheUse the same pattern for other required modules, substituting the module name and its enablement marker. If a module has more than one generated file, verify the actual files on the target release before choosing the creates path. A reusable role can wrap this logic and expose a list of module names.
When to use ansible.builtin.package instead
| Choice | Best fit | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
ansible.builtin.apt |
Ubuntu- or Debian-specific roles that need apt controls such as update_cache and cache_valid_time. |
Less portable to hosts using another package manager. |
ansible.builtin.package |
A role shared across distributions where the package name and common state are the only package concerns. | It abstracts the discovered package manager, so manager-specific options are not available through the generic interface. |
For an Ubuntu-only Apache deployment, ansible.builtin.apt makes the metadata-refresh behavior explicit. Use package when cross-distribution reuse outweighs those apt-specific controls.
Add HTTPS with mod_ssl, a certificate, and a private key
HTTPS requires more than enabling a module. Ubuntu identifies mod_ssl as the component that adds encrypted communication. You also need a certificate and its matching private key, a TLS virtual host, and a policy for protecting the key.
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- name: Enable the SSL module
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: a2enmod ssl
creates: /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/ssl.load
notify: Restart ApacheThe module is supplied according to the target Ubuntu release’s Apache packaging. Confirm that the enablement marker exists after the task; do not assume a module package name that belongs to a different release.
Deploy certificate material carefully
Store the certificate and key outside ordinary source control, commonly in encrypted Ansible variables or a secrets system. The key should be readable only by root unless your chosen Apache setup requires a more specific group.
- name: Install the TLS certificate
ansible.builtin.copy:
content: "{{ apache_tls_certificate }}"
dest: "/etc/ssl/{{ apache_server_name }}.crt"
owner: root
group: root
mode: '0644'
notify: Restart Apache
- name: Install the TLS private key
ansible.builtin.copy:
content: "{{ apache_tls_private_key }}"
dest: "/etc/ssl/private/{{ apache_server_name }}.key"
owner: root
group: root
mode: '0600'
no_log: true
notify: Restart ApacheUse a certificate issued for the hostname clients will request. Ubuntu notes that its auto-generated certificate is suitable for testing only; it is not a production trust solution.
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HTTPS virtual-host template
<IfModule mod_ssl.c>
<VirtualHost *:443>
ServerName {{ apache_server_name }}
DocumentRoot {{ apache_document_root }}
SSLEngine on
SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/{{ apache_server_name }}.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/private/{{ apache_server_name }}.key
<Directory {{ apache_document_root }}>
Options FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
Require all granted
</Directory>
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/{{ apache_server_name }}-ssl-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/{{ apache_server_name }}-ssl-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>
</IfModule>Render this file to /etc/apache2/sites-available/{{ apache_server_name }}-ssl.conf, enable it with a2ensite {{ apache_server_name }}-ssl.conf using a creates guard, and notify the same restart handler. Ensure the certificate’s DNS names, file paths, and permissions match the virtual host before testing port 443.
Run the playbook safely
Check mode first
Preview the intended changes where the modules and tasks support check mode:
ansible-playbook -i inventory.ini site.yml --checkCheck mode can predict template, package, file, and service changes, but command tasks may provide limited prediction. Treat command-based module and site enablement tasks as requiring an ordinary run for final confirmation.
Apply the configuration
ansible-playbook -i inventory.ini site.ymlIf sudo prompts for a password:
ansible-playbook -i inventory.ini site.yml --ask-become-passA successful run should show the package task as unchanged or changed as appropriate, the service as started and enabled, and the template or enablement task as changed only when its state differs from the host.
Understand the second run
Run the same command again. With stable variables and files, the package, service, template, and guarded commands should report no changes. A restart on every run usually indicates a template that changes nondeterministically, a missing idempotency guard, or a task that writes generated content with unstable formatting.
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Verify package, service, configuration, and response
Do not stop at a green Ansible recap. Verify each layer independently.
- Package: confirm the host reports
apache2installed and that the apt task did not fail while refreshing metadata. - Service: confirm the
apache2service is running and enabled for boot. - Rendered configuration: inspect
/etc/apache2/sites-available/{{ apache_server_name }}.confand confirm the corresponding link exists under/etc/apache2/sites-enabled/. - Syntax: run
apache2ctl configtestand require a successful result before treating the deployment as valid. - HTTP: request the expected hostname and verify that the intended virtual host, not the default site, returns the application response.
- HTTPS: for TLS deployments, request the HTTPS URL and check that the certificate, key, and port-443 virtual host are all being used.
When testing by IP address, send the correct host name in the request if you need to exercise name-based virtual-host selection. A successful TCP connection alone does not prove that the desired site answered.
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Troubleshoot the most common failures
“Package apache2 cannot be found”
Check that the target is actually Ubuntu, that apt repositories are configured, and that metadata refresh completed successfully. Review the task output rather than changing the package name: Ubuntu’s Apache package is apache2.
Apache is installed but not serving
Inspect the service result and run the configuration test directly. A syntax error, missing include, invalid directive, or unavailable module can prevent startup. Correct the rendered file or module list, rerun the playbook, and test again.
The default site answers instead of your domain
Check the ServerName value, the enabled-site link, and the hostname used in the request. Confirm that the file was rendered in sites-available and activated in sites-enabled. If the default site is no longer required, disable it deliberately rather than deleting configuration files informally.
The playbook restarts Apache every time
Look for a template value that changes on every render, such as a timestamp, and verify that the a2enmod and a2ensite commands have creates guards. Keep ownership, group, and mode fixed so Ansible does not detect avoidable drift.
HTTPS fails after the module is enabled
Separate the possible causes: confirm that ssl.load is enabled, that the certificate and key files exist with the expected permissions, that the certificate matches the requested name, and that the SSL virtual host is enabled. Then run the configuration test before attempting another restart. An auto-generated certificate may work for a test connection while still producing a browser trust warning.
Playbook versus a reusable Apache role
A hand-written playbook is transparent and easy to adapt to one Ubuntu application. A role becomes useful when several hosts need the same defaults, multiple virtual hosts, module lists, TLS files, or OS-specific conditionals.
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|---|---|---|
| Idempotency | You must add guards, templates, and handlers directly. | Can centralize those patterns and test them once. |
| Ubuntu release support | Simple when every host follows one release family. | Can isolate release-specific paths and defaults. |
| Virtual hosts | Clear for one or two sites. | Scales better with a list of site dictionaries. |
| TLS and modules | Explicit tasks make the security impact visible. | Variables can standardize enablement, but poor defaults may enable more than needed. |
| Testing | Fewer files to understand initially. | Worthwhile when you need repeated check-mode and integration testing. |
Whichever form you choose, preserve the same boundaries: package installation, service state, rendered configuration, explicit module and site enablement, and a single change-triggered handler.
Quick Recap
Production readiness checklist
- Use the exact Ubuntu package name
apache2and keep apt metadata behavior intentional. - Set
state: presentunless a controlled package upgrade is part of the deployment. - Keep site files in
/etc/apache2/sites-available/and enable only the ones required. - Set a deliberate
ServerNamefor every hosted domain. - Render configuration from templates instead of editing managed files by hand.
- Notify one Apache restart handler from changed configuration, module, site, and certificate tasks.
- Enable only required modules; HTTPS specifically needs SSL support plus a matching certificate and private key.
- Protect private keys with root ownership, restrictive permissions, and secret handling outside ordinary plaintext variables.
- Run check mode where supported, then validate syntax and perform an HTTP or HTTPS request after applying.
- Re-check package defaults and ansible-core behavior when changing Ubuntu releases.
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