A web server makes a great repository for downloadable files. This system of file distribution has for the most part replaced anonymous FTP as it offers a more seamless experience for users. If you would like to give users access to a directory of files with an automatically generated index, Apache is the right tool for the job.
Note
In most cases, listing files in directories of a website is unnecessary, and in some cases it may even expose sensitive information to potential attackers. Use directory listings only where it makes sense.
In this recipe, we will expose a listing of the directory /var/www/example.com/downloads
, which is served by the virtual host named example.com
from the URL http://example.com/downloads
. Note the file path, virtual host name, and URL of your case and substitute appropriately.