Create multiple local domains on macOS Ventura

Assuming you already have Apache HTTP web server installed locally and have enabled the secure connections (https) to it, you can now start creating multiple local domains for your projects.

By the end of this article, you will be able to create and access local domains like https://mylocaldomain.test or https://myotherlocaldomain.test and so on.

First things first: let’s create a new folder on our system that will contain all the virtual host configuration files for our future local domains:

$ mkdir /usr/local/etc/httpd/vhosts
$ cd /usr/local/etc/httpd/vhosts

Using your favorite editor, create the configuration file for your first local domain – for example mylocaldomain.test.conf – and add the following content:

# this will be your regular HTTP configuration
<VirtualHost mylocaldomain.test:80>
    ServerName mylocaldomain
    ServerAlias mylocaldomain.test
    DocumentRoot "/path/to/your/project"
    <Directory "/path/to/your/project">
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    ErrorLog "/path/to/folder/to/store/logs/mylocaldomain.test-error_log"
    CustomLog "/path/to/folder/to/store/logs/mylocaldomain.test-access_log" common
</VirtualHost>

# this will be your HTTPS configuration
<VirtualHost mylocaldomain.test:443>
    ServerName mylocaldomain
    ServerAlias mylocaldomain.test
    DocumentRoot "/path/to/your/project"
    SSLEngine on
    SSLCipherSuite ALL:!ADH:!EXPORT56:RC4+RSA:+HIGH:+MEDIUM:+LOW:+SSLv2:+EXP:+eNULL
    <Directory "/path/to/your/project">
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    ErrorLog "/path/to/folder/to/store/logs/SSL_mylocaldomain.test-error_log"
    CustomLog "/path/to/folder/to/store/logs/SSL_mylocaldomain.test-access_log" common
</VirtualHost>

Now, let’s make sure that the above configuration loads when the Apache HTTP web server starts. Open your /usr/local/etc/httpd/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf file and add the following:

Include /usr/local/etc/httpd/vhosts/mylocaldomain.test.conf

Restart the Apache HTTP web server

$ brew services restart httpd

# or

$ sudo apachectl -k restart

Now you have to edit your hosts file. Open up a terminal and run the following command:

$ sudo nano /etc/hosts

Inside the hosts file, add a new line like this one:

127.0.0.1 mylocaldomain.test

save and close the file ( Control+X / Y / Enter) .

Now, let’s clear the local DNS cache:


sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

If everything was okay untill this point, you should now be able to access your new local domain http://mylocaldomain.test or https://mylocaldomain.test.

Repeat the steps / instructions above everytime you want to add / create a new local domain for your new awesome project.

15 Septembrie 2023