Using apache on mac - NOT the built in one

Question

I've tried downloading apache for my development on Mac OS X (Leopard) from this site:
http://www.techiecorner.com/174/how-to-install-apache-php-mysql-with-macport-in-mac-os-x/

I haven't downloaded php, so I skipped the php checks and right after it finished downloading, and starting the server, I've opended 'localhost' in my browser, and it loaded a page says 'It Works!', so I guess I'm on the right way to using an apache web server.
Now, my questions are: 1. How do I know where is this 'localhost' folder, so I can put there html files and so on? 2. Is it already set that other user can reach my website (once I'll have one under the localhost folder), or do I need to do extra stuff in order to make it so? If this is the matter, what do I need to do more?

Thanks.

Answer 1

from your mentioned site i see that you installed via macports and apache then goes into /opt/local/apache2/. i think there is an etc directory there, where the configuration is found, in a filed called httpd.conf, there you can find the documentroot directive, which is your 'localhost'folder.

1) it should be /opt/local/apache2/htdocs

2) i guess the default settings of the apache in macports have it listen to incoming requests on all interfaces of your mac, so yes, other users should be able to your website.

ps: if you're looking for a quick-and-easy method to have a local webserver with php and mysql, i would recommend you take a look at xampp.