Abyss Web Server

I'm not sure the algorithm MacUpdate uses to detect new versions, but Abyss Web Server v2.16.4 has been available since June, 2022.

I have been using the Abyss Web Server for years (since its version 1 release) on both Windows and Mac computers. Despite the Mac having a built-in Apache, I find Abyss easier to configure and run than Apple's own. Under Windows, there's not even a comparison; Abyss just works. I run it in a small office, and I've added a perl-based calendar, and upload and download feature (with indexing) and more. Two thumbs up for Aprellium!

@MacUpdate Admins: the latest version of this software is 2.11.8, released in Dec. 2017. Listing the last release date being in 2014 may make it seem like this is abandon-ware, which it definitely isn't...

I've now used Abyss for around a decade for commercial web hosting on multiple servers and it has probably been the most stable and near bug free piece of software that I have ever used. I can only recall one crash (it actually may have been the fault of the OS) and only one difficult to pin down bug (involved PHP). And now, with the latest version they have added the one essential feature that I have needed - log rotation. All the major features are now there. Abyss is fast, hyper-stable, very low memory and CPU usage, and feature rich and their email support is nearly impeccable. You forget it is there as you only need to access it for adding new virtual hosts. It's also nice to do most of the features of .htaccess files right there in the admin console rather than in hiddn files scattered all over the machine! While the web browser admin interface works well and it easy to figure out (with the ever-present contextual help button), I would like to see some changes in just the look and feel and the ability to do bulk changes. Since it is easy to change the XML config file, I just wrote my own simple admin program in the database Panorama and do bulk changes to hundreds of web sites in just a few seconds. My major wish now is for Aprelium to create a FTP server. Hmmm, it would also be nice to see a very minimalistic CMS. Please?

Like others, I've been using the Abyss web server on a variety of platforms, and simply put: It.Just.Works. My needs are simple: I typically need an intranet web server, and I don't need one that runs around the clock. Of course, when I have needed to run it around the clock, it.just.works. The Linux version is as robust and as stable as the Mac and Windows versions, and it installs as a Linux "service" flawlessly. I know that Aprelium offers a for-pay version, and if my needs were such, I'd willingly pay for it. As it is, the free version is more than excellent, and imagine my surprise when I saw that the company had updated it! I don't know that I need the update, but I'm going to install it. It probably won't (or can't) work any better, but it's nice to be on the current release. Nice job, Aprelium. Your efforts are greatly appreciated! (To Macupdate: The star ratings for some reason won't let me make the "Value" five stars. It is, in my opinion!).

Love this server, but disappointed to see that new version 2.8 is still not 64bit on Mac while it is for Linux and Windows.

I've used Abyss on Windows and Mac systems over the years and in both cases it was small, fast, unobtrusive, easy to use, and best of all it just WORKS! The big-boy servers, and their attendant fan-bois, are so clunky and difficult to deal with that I was pulling my hair out just to get simple answers. I didn't want to be a full time server admin just someone who liked to tinker around. And the beauty with Abyss was that I was able to set up and handle multiple domains with ease and on a price point that was ridiculously affordable. Perfect? Nope. But the downsides are small compared to the ease of use.

I just realized I've been using this a really long time and I don't remember if I've ever reviewed it here. What can I say. On both Mac and Windows it's solid. I've never had it crash or interfere with anything else on any computer. As a testing server, I've found it better than MAMP and it doesn't download huge amount of crap like MAMP does and they aren't pushy (like the MAMP people are) about getting the paid version. I try out MAMP every now and then, shrug... and go back to Abyss. The interface isn't perfect and there's a lot of areas that are not going to be self-explainatory, but hey, it's a web server. If you don't have any clue about how to run them, you probably shouldn't be opening up your computer/server/whatever to the world anyway. That said, never had a hacking issue with it either, but then again I practice lots of safeguards I won't get into here. Fantastic server. Updated fairly regularly. Works great as a PHP testing server, IMHO, as well. I regretfully have to take off a star for not being 64bit on Mac yet. Been kind of a long time.

Update to my previous review. The tech support for Abyss is great!! With the very reasonably priced Pro version, you get priority support. They actually read your questions and give reasonable and quick answers even for complex issues. After wasting years of my life with open source products such as Apache where you search in forum after forum for months only to get numerous stupid and wrong answers especially when dealing with utterly absurd mod_rewrite and, after dealing with the big companies such as Adobe, Epson, Apple, Micro$oft, Comcast, etc where the techs often times know little and deny obvious bugs, dealing with Aprelium is a breath of fresh air. I now recommend dealing mostly with small companies that make great products such as ProVue (makes the great database Panorama), HindSight (photo business software), Aprelium, etc. You often get MUCH better products, better support, and surprisingly longer life products. ProVue made the second piece of software for the Mac and it is still around. Buy small and buy quality as it will save time and money (even over the "free" products). As an added bonus you can often get features added to the products based on your own suggestions!

Been using Abyss for years now in a commercial web hosting environment and it has been PERFECTLY stable. Things that take Apache down are barely a blip for Abyss. We are about move all of our servers from Apache to Abyss. Apache is like Windoze - popular, but hard to figure out why as it is so bloated and awkward. Abyss beats Apache in: Speed Simplicity (in a different universe) Ease of configuration Login and consistency of interface and configuring Speed of setup Tolerance of errors in configuration User choice - can put it on any volume and quickly migrate it to another server Stability Support - quick and generally accurate answers from a single source Cost - Yes, Apache is supposedly free and Abyss costs a little for the , but if you measure cost of the time involved with each product, you will save LOTS of time with Abyss. Abyss is not perfect, but the company Aprelium listens to users and continues to improve the product. There a just a few features that are missing. And, while their documentation covers just about everything and is VERY accessible, it definitely could use some help as it makes far too many assumptions about the user's knowledge. It needs better BASIC explanations as it sometimes states the obvious while missing the not obvious aspects of a feature and the reason for the feature.

it beats Apache

Brilliantly simple for during quick servings for clients as a basic test server, and I can't complain about FREE. Very robust non-Apache offering.

Excellent as always, Pre-Compiled PHP 5.2 is also appreciated! Easiest to manage and configure server on any platform, though not as robust as Apache, it's still my personal favorite.

it would help if the included Installation Instructions file had a working url for the instructions...the one included is not even close to a real, working url.

I was looking for a simple and powerful solution to built an intranet web server. I find it ! Guys, you're rock !!! Thanx for this free and great app. (I put a 3 stars for stability, but maybe in few days i'll change my mind... i use it just for 1 days, but i'm sure it will get a 5... it runs on OSX!)

Amazing

wont let me open the ports needed, i am using a Netgear router. i selected to open ports and then it notifies me that it can't. useless!

For creating a simple HTTP server, this is a great solution. EASY setup, loads pages fast, and it's free. I'm impressed. If you don't need some advanced features such as mySQL, this is the server for you.

Why use it you ask? Because its only 211k - Dig out all your old Macs and get them serving your sites in under 15 minutes. Its rock solid and loads pages super quick. http://www.aprelium.com/abyssws/opinions.html Give it a try its Free and you will not look back. Would like to see support for MYSQL or Excel built in.

If they had only put their efforts into making a freeware Apache Configuration utility... Really, they would of had something cool then.