Apache to OLS Migration

Migration Overview

LiteHTTPD makes Apache-to-OLS migration straightforward by supporting the same .htaccess directives. Most WordPress, Laravel, and Drupal sites work without any .htaccess changes. The default migration path uses LiteHTTPD (Full edition) for maximum compatibility, including RewriteRule execution and php_value support.

Note

For Docker or container environments where the OLS binary cannot be replaced, use LiteHTTPD-Thin (the .so module on stock OLS). Thin handles most directives but RewriteRule execution and php_value require the Full edition.

Step-by-Step Migration

1. Install OLS + LiteHTTPD (Full)

   dnf install ./openlitespeed-litehttpd-*.rpm

   See Installation for RPM, binary, or source build options.

2. Convert Apache config (optional)

   Use litehttpd-confconv to convert your Apache virtual host configuration:

   litehttpd-confconv --input /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf \
     --output /usr/local/lsws/conf/apacheconf/ \
     portmap=80:8088,443:8443

3. Copy your document root

   Point the OLS vhost to the same document root:

   docRoot /var/www/html

4. Enable .htaccess processing

   Add to your vhost config:

   allowOverride 255
   autoLoadHtaccess 1

5. Configure PHP

   Link lsphp to OLS:

   ln -sf /usr/local/lsws/lsphp84/bin/lsphp /usr/local/lsws/fcgi-bin/lsphp

6. Test and verify

   /usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl restart
   curl -I http://localhost:8088/

What Transfers Automatically

• All .htaccess files in your document root tree
• WordPress permalink rewrite rules
• Security plugin rules (AIOS, Wordfence, etc.)
• Cache headers (W3TC, WP Super Cache)
• Custom redirects and error documents

What Needs Manual Configuration

| Apache Feature | OLS Equivalent | |---------------|----------------| | LoadModule in httpd.conf | OLS module config in httpd_config.conf | | VirtualHost blocks | OLS vhost directories | | mod_php / php-fpm | lsphp via LSAPI | | SSL certificates | OLS listener SSL config | | ProxyPass | OLS external app + context |