How to enable apache-http/2 in centos 7? - linux

Question

I have followed the below link for enabling http/2 in centos-7 apache.
https://www.tunetheweb.com/performance/http2/
My openssl version :
# openssl version
OpenSSL 1.1.0f 25 May 2017
While installing latest apr-util and apache(httpd-2.4.27)
below errors occurred on make command
Inside the apr-util folder :
# make
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/apr-util-1.6.0'
/bin/sh /usr/local/apr/build-1/libtool --silent --mode=compile gcc -g -O2 -pthread -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DLINUX -D_REENTRANT -D_GNU_SOURCE -I/usr/local/src/apr-util-1.6.0/incl
ude -I/usr/local/src/apr-util-1.6.0/include/private -I/usr/local/apr/include/apr-1 -o xml/apr_xml.lo -c xml/apr_xml.c && touch xml/apr_xml.lo
xml/apr_xml.c:35:19: fatal error: expat.h: No such file or directory
#include <expat.h>
^
compilation terminated.
make[1]: *** [xml/apr_xml.lo] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/apr-util-1.6.0'
make: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
Inside the httpd folder :
#make
Making all in srclib
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib'
Making all in apr
make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr'
make[3]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `local-all'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr'
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr'
Making all in apr-util
make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr-util'
make[3]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr-util'
/bin/sh /usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr/libtool --silent --mode=compile gcc -g -O2 -pthread -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DLINUX -D_REENTRANT -D_GNU_SOURCE -I/usr/local/src/htt
pd-2.4.27/srclib/apr-util/include -I/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr-util/include/private -I/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr/include -o xml/apr_xml.lo -c xml/a
pr_xml.c && touch xml/apr_xml.lo
xml/apr_xml.c:35:19: fatal error: expat.h: No such file or directory
#include <expat.h>
^
compilation terminated.
make[3]: *** [xml/apr_xml.lo] Error 1
make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr-util'
make[2]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib/apr-util'
make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/httpd-2.4.27/srclib'
make: *** [all-recursive] Error 1

Answer 1

I would suggest to install ready to use package from https://codeit.guru/en_US/2017/10/apache-httpd-2-4-28-built-against-openssl-1-0-2l-with-http2-for-red-hat-enterprise-linux-and-centos/
Alternatively, you can recompile it from SRPM provided by Fedora or CodeIT (the same one with changed defaults and openssl paths):
rpmbuild -ba ~/rpmbuild/SPECS/httpd.spec

Answer 2

#nos was correct and this needed yum install expat-devel and a few other dependencies I already had installed.
I've updated the blog post now to reflect this. Feel free to reach out to me if you've any other issues on this.

Answer 3

Now is available repo from codeit.guru for CentOS 7, it can be enabled:
cd /etc/yum.repos.d && wget https://repo.codeit.guru/codeit.el`rpm -q --qf "%{VERSION}" $(rpm -q --whatprovides redhat-release)`.repo
If apache is already installed, yum update will update apache, it even enables mod_http2.
Otherwise, fresh installation of apache can be done.
Put Protocols h2 http/1.1 within ssl.conf as Mozilla suggests
Restart apache, http/2 is ready.