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https://github.com/shuvo-halder/virtualhost-automation

Production-Grade Virtual Host Manager for Apache & Nginx on Ubuntu/Debian.
https://github.com/shuvo-halder/virtualhost-automation

automation bash-scripting hosts linux-automations linux-server server shuvo-halder

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Production-Grade Virtual Host Manager for Apache & Nginx on Ubuntu/Debian.

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Virtualhost Automation v2.0.0

===========



> **Production-Grade Virtual Host Manager for Apache & Nginx on Ubuntu/Debian**



Bash scripts to safely create and manage Apache/Nginx virtual hosts on Ubuntu/Debian servers with professional features like logging, dry-run mode, validation, and comprehensive documentation.



---



## ✨ Features



### Core Features

- ✅ **Create Virtual Hosts** - Automated setup with best practices

- ✅ **Delete Virtual Hosts** - Safe removal with backup options

- ✅ **List All Hosts** - View all active virtual hosts

- ✅ **DNS Management** - Automatic /etc/hosts entries

- ✅ **Domain Validation** - Strict input validation

- ✅ **Permission Management** - Proper ownership and permissions

- ✅ **Test Files** - Auto-generated phpinfo.php and index.html



### Production Features

- 🔐 **Security Hardened** - Deny hidden files, proper permissions

- 📝 **Comprehensive Logging** - All operations logged to `/var/log/virtualhost/`

- 🔍 **Verbose Mode** - Detailed output with `-v` flag

- 🎯 **Dry-Run Mode** - Preview changes with `-d` flag without executing

- 💾 **Backups** - Automatic backups of modified system files

- ⚡ **Performance** - Gzip compression, caching headers, static file optimization

- 🐛 **Error Handling** - Graceful error messages and recovery

- 📚 **Help System** - Full `--help` and `--version` commands



### Apache-Specific

- `mod_rewrite` enabled by default

- Framework-ready configuration (Laravel, WordPress, Drupal)

- Gzip compression enabled

- Deny access to hidden files

- Error/Access logging per domain



### Nginx-Specific

- PHP-FPM socket support (TCP & Unix)

- Static file caching with 30-day expiry

- Security hardening (deny hidden files)

- Fastcgi parameters optimization

- Per-domain error/access logging



---



## 📋 Requirements



- Ubuntu 18.04+ or Debian 9+

- Apache 2.4+ or Nginx 1.14+

- PHP 7.0+ (optional, for phpinfo test)

- Sudo access (root privileges)

- Bash 4.0+



### For Apache:

```bash

sudo apt-get install apache2 apache2-utils php libapache2-mod-php

sudo a2enmod rewrite

```



### For Nginx:

```bash

sudo apt-get install nginx php-fpm

```



---



## 📦 Installation



### Method 1: Quick Install (Recommended)

```bash

# Download and install both scripts globally

cd /usr/local/bin



# Apache

sudo wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/shuvo-halder/virtualhost-automation/master/virtualhost.sh

sudo chmod +x virtualhost.sh

sudo ln -s virtualhost.sh virtualhost



# Nginx

sudo wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/shuvo-halder/virtualhost-automation/master/virtualhost-nginx.sh

sudo chmod +x virtualhost-nginx.sh

sudo ln -s virtualhost-nginx.sh virtualhost-nginx

```



### Method 2: Clone Repository

```bash

git clone https://github.com/shuvo-halder/virtualhost-automation.git

cd virtualhost-automation

chmod +x virtualhost.sh virtualhost-nginx.sh



# Optional: Link to PATH

sudo ln -s $(pwd)/virtualhost.sh /usr/local/bin/virtualhost

sudo ln -s $(pwd)/virtualhost-nginx.sh /usr/local/bin/virtualhost-nginx

```



### Method 3: Manual Download

1. Download `virtualhost.sh` or `virtualhost-nginx.sh`

2. Make executable: `chmod +x /path/to/script.sh`

3. Run with: `sudo /path/to/script.sh [options] command domain`



---



## 🚀 Quick Start



### Apache

```bash

# Create virtual host

sudo virtualhost create example.dev



# Create with custom directory

sudo virtualhost create example.dev /var/www/mysite



# Delete virtual host

sudo virtualhost delete example.dev



# List all hosts

sudo virtualhost list



# Get help

sudo virtualhost --help

```



### Nginx

```bash

# Create virtual host

sudo virtualhost-nginx create example.dev



# Create with custom directory

sudo virtualhost-nginx create example.dev /var/www/mysite



# Delete virtual host

sudo virtualhost-nginx delete example.dev



# List all hosts

sudo virtualhost-nginx list



# Get help

sudo virtualhost-nginx --help

```



---



## 📖 Usage Guide



### General Syntax

```bash

sudo virtualhost [OPTIONS] COMMAND DOMAIN [ROOTDIR]

sudo virtualhost-nginx [OPTIONS] COMMAND DOMAIN [ROOTDIR]

```



### Commands



#### Create Virtual Host

```bash

sudo virtualhost create example.dev

sudo virtualhost create example.dev /var/www/custom_dir

```



**What it does:**

- Creates web root directory with proper permissions

- Generates Apache/Nginx configuration

- Enables the site

- Adds entry to /etc/hosts

- Creates phpinfo.php test file

- Reloads web server

- Logs all operations



#### Delete Virtual Host

```bash

sudo virtualhost delete example.dev

```



**What it does:**

- Disables the site

- Removes configuration

- Removes /etc/hosts entry (with backup)

- Prompts to delete web root

- Reloads web server

- Logs all operations



#### List Virtual Hosts

```bash

sudo virtualhost list

sudo virtualhost-nginx list

```



Shows all enabled virtual hosts with their paths.



#### Get Help

```bash

sudo virtualhost --help

sudo virtualhost-nginx --help

```



Shows comprehensive help and usage examples.



#### Show Version

```bash

sudo virtualhost --version

sudo virtualhost-nginx --version

```



Displays script version information.



### Options



| Option | Description | Example |

|--------|-------------|---------|

| `-h, --help` | Show help message | `sudo virtualhost -h` |

| `-V, --version` | Show version info | `sudo virtualhost --version` |

| `-v, --verbose` | Enable verbose output | `sudo virtualhost -v create example.dev` |

| `-d, --dry-run` | Preview without changes | `sudo virtualhost -d create example.dev` |

| `-s, --skip-reload` | Skip web server reload | `sudo virtualhost -s create example.dev` |

| `-e, --email` (Apache) | Set admin email | `sudo virtualhost -e admin@example.com create example.dev` |

| `-p, --php-socket` (Nginx) | PHP-FPM socket | `sudo virtualhost-nginx -p unix:/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock create example.dev` |



---



## 💡 Advanced Usage



### Dry-Run Mode (Preview Changes)

Test what would happen without making actual changes:

```bash

sudo virtualhost -d create example.dev

```



Output shows all planned operations but doesn't modify anything.



### Verbose Mode (Detailed Output)

See detailed step-by-step execution:

```bash

sudo virtualhost -v create example.dev

```



Shows detailed logs of each operation.



### Custom PHP Socket (Nginx)

Use Unix socket instead of TCP:

```bash

# TCP socket (default)

sudo virtualhost-nginx create example.dev



# Unix socket

sudo virtualhost-nginx -p unix:/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock create example.dev

```



### Custom Admin Email (Apache)

Set server admin email:

```bash

sudo virtualhost -e webmaster@company.com create example.dev

```



### Batch Operations

Create multiple hosts without reloading:

```bash

sudo virtualhost -s create site1.dev

sudo virtualhost -s create site2.dev

sudo virtualhost -s create site3.dev

sudo systemctl reload apache2  # One reload at the end

```



---



## 📊 Configuration



### Default Paths

```

Apache sites-available:  /etc/apache2/sites-available/

Apache sites-enabled:    /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/

Nginx sites-available:   /etc/nginx/sites-available/

Nginx sites-enabled:     /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

Web root:                /var/www/

Logs:                    /var/log/virtualhost/

```



### Logging

All operations are logged to: `/var/log/virtualhost/virtualhost-*.log`



View logs:

```bash

tail -f /var/log/virtualhost/virtualhost-*.log

```



### Environment Variables

```bash

# Set custom log directory

export LOG_DIR="/custom/log/path"

sudo virtualhost create example.dev



# Set custom admin email (Apache)

export EMAIL="admin@example.com"

sudo virtualhost create example.dev



# Set custom PHP-FPM socket (Nginx)

export PHP_FPM_SOCKET="unix:/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock"

sudo virtualhost-nginx create example.dev

```



---



## 🔧 Configuration Details



### Apache VirtualHost Template

Each virtual host gets:

- ServerAdmin email

- ServerName and www alias

- DocumentRoot configuration

- mod_rewrite enabled for frameworks

- Gzip compression

- Error/Access logging

- Security headers for hidden files



### Nginx Server Block Template

Each virtual host gets:

- Server name configuration

- PHP-FPM fastcgi configuration

- Static file caching (30 days)

- Security hardening

- Per-domain logging

- Framework-ready rewrites



---



## 📝 Examples



### Simple Website

```bash

sudo virtualhost create mysite.dev

# Creates: /var/www/mysite/

# Visit: http://mysite.dev

```



### Custom Directory

```bash

sudo virtualhost create api.example.dev /var/www/projects/api

# Creates: /var/www/projects/api/

# Visit: http://api.example.dev

```



### Absolute Path

```bash

sudo virtualhost create data.example.dev /home/user/www/data

# Creates: /home/user/www/data/

# Visit: http://data.example.dev

```



### Development Environment

```bash

# Create multiple dev sites

sudo virtualhost -s create project1.dev

sudo virtualhost -s create project2.dev

sudo virtualhost -s create project3.dev

sudo systemctl reload apache2

```



### Testing Configuration

```bash

# Preview without making changes

sudo virtualhost -d create example.dev



# Dry-run with verbose output

sudo virtualhost -dv create example.dev

```



---



## 🐛 Troubleshooting



### Issue: "Run as root (use sudo)"

**Solution:** Always prefix commands with `sudo`

```bash

sudo virtualhost create example.dev

```



### Issue: "Domain does not exist: example.dev"

**Solution:** Double-check the domain name or create it first

```bash

sudo virtualhost create example.dev  # Create first

sudo virtualhost delete example.dev  # Then delete

```



### Issue: "Configuration test failed"

**Solution:** Check web server configuration syntax

```bash

# Apache

apache2ctl configtest



# Nginx

nginx -t

```



### Issue: Cannot access virtual host in browser

**Solution:** Verify /etc/hosts entry

```bash

grep example.dev /etc/hosts

# Should see: 127.0.0.1    example.dev

```



### Issue: Permission denied on web root

**Solution:** Check directory ownership

```bash

ls -la /var/www/example/

# Should be owned by your user or www-data

```



### Issue: PHP not working

**Solution:** Check PHP-FPM is running and properly configured

```bash

# Nginx

sudo systemctl status php-fpm

# or

sudo systemctl status php8.1-fpm



# Apache

apache2ctl -t  # Test configuration

```



### Issue: Port 80 already in use

**Solution:** Check what's using port 80

```bash

sudo lsof -i :80

# Kill the process or use different port

```



---



## 📚 Logs and Debugging



### View Logs

```bash

# View today's logs

tail -f /var/log/virtualhost/virtualhost-apache-*.log

tail -f /var/log/virtualhost/virtualhost-nginx-*.log



# View all logs

ls -la /var/log/virtualhost/

```



### Check Web Server Logs

```bash

# Apache

tail -f /var/log/apache2/example.dev_error.log

tail -f /var/log/apache2/example.dev_access.log



# Nginx

tail -f /var/log/nginx/example.dev_error.log

tail -f /var/log/nginx/example.dev_access.log

```



---



## ✅ Verification



### Test Virtual Host Creation

```bash

# Create

sudo virtualhost create testsite.dev



# Verify /etc/hosts entry

grep testsite.dev /etc/hosts



# Verify site enabled

ls -l /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/ | grep testsite



# Verify directory

ls -la /var/www/testsite/



# Check in browser

curl http://testsite.dev



# View logs

tail -f /var/log/virtualhost/*.log

```



---



## 🔒 Security Notes



- Scripts require sudo (root privileges)

- Domain validation prevents invalid characters

- Permissions set to 755 for directories, 644 for files

- Backups created for /etc/hosts modifications

- Hidden files denied access in Apache/Nginx

- Proper user/group ownership enforced

- No SQL injection or command injection possible



---



## 🤝 Contributing



Found a bug? Have a feature request? Contributions welcome!



1. Fork the repository

2. Create a feature branch (`git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature`)

3. Commit changes (`git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'`)

4. Push to branch (`git push origin feature/amazing-feature`)

5. Open a Pull Request



---



## 📜 License



This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.



---



## 📞 Support



For issues, questions, or suggestions:

- Open an [GitHub Issue](https://github.com/shuvo-halder/virtualhost-automation/issues)

- Check [Troubleshooting Section](#-troubleshooting)

- Review [Examples](#-examples)



---



## 🚀 Changelog



### Version 2.0.0 (2026-05-05)

- ✨ Added comprehensive help system (`--help`, `--version`)

- ✨ Added dry-run mode (`-d`) for safe testing

- ✨ Added verbose logging (`-v`) for debugging

- ✨ Added centralized logging system

- ✨ Added domain validation and error handling

- ✨ Added list command to show all virtual hosts

- ✨ Added skip-reload option for batch operations

- ✨ Added custom PHP-FPM socket support (Nginx)

- ✨ Added custom admin email support (Apache)

- 📚 Complete documentation overhaul

- 🔒 Enhanced security features

- ⚡ Performance improvements



### Version 1.0.0 (2023-09-21)

- Initial release

- Basic create/delete functionality

- Apache and Nginx support



---



## 👨‍💻 Author



**Shuvo Halder** - [GitHub](https://github.com/shuvo-halder)



---



## 📎 Related Projects



- [Apache Virtual Host Docs](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/vhosts/)

- [Nginx Server Blocks](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/server_names.html)

- [PHP-FPM Setup](https://www.php.net/manual/en/install.fpm.php)



---



**Made with ❤️ for Linux Developers & System Administrators**