How to Set Up Multiple Domains on Tomcat in CentOS: Step‑by‑Step Guide

Tomcat Virtual Host Configuration: Multi‑Domain Deployment on CentOS

When working with Tomcat, you may need to run multiple websites on a single server, each accessed via a different domain name. This guide walks through the complete process of setting up virtual hosts on Tomcat in a CentOS environment.

1. Prepare Directories and Test Files

Create separate directories for each virtual host and place a simple test page.

Create Directories

mkdir -p /var/www/site1
mkdir -p /var/www/site2

Add Test Files

echo "Welcome to Site 1" > /var/www/site1/index.html
echo "Welcome to Site 2" > /var/www/site2/index.html

2. Modify server.xml

Edit the server.xml file located in $CATALINA_HOME/conf and locate the <Engine> element under <Service name="Catalina">. Add two <Host> blocks, one for each domain.

Modified Configuration Example

<Engine name="Catalina" defaultHost="localhost">

    <!-- Default localhost configuration -->
    <Host name="localhost" appBase="webapps" unpackWARs="true" autoDeploy="true">
        <Context path="" docBase="${catalina.home}/webapps/ROOT" />
    </Host>

    <!-- Virtual host 1 -->
    <Host name="www.site1.com" appBase="" unpackWARs="true" autoDeploy="true">
        <Context path="" docBase="/var/www/site1" />
    </Host>

    <!-- Virtual host 2 -->
    <Host name="www.site2.com" appBase="" unpackWARs="true" autoDeploy="true">
        <Context path="" docBase="/var/www/site2" />
    </Host>

</Engine>

Configuration Details

name

: the domain name of the virtual host, e.g., www.site1.com and www.site2.com. appBase: set to an empty string because the document base is specified directly with docBase. docBase: the root directory for the virtual host, respectively /var/www/site1 and /var/www/site2. path: set to "", meaning the virtual host serves at the root path /.

The Engine node is a core component that manages multiple Host entries.

3. Access Test

4. Restart Tomcat

$CATALINA_HOME/bin/shutdown.sh
$CATALINA_HOME/bin/startup.sh

5. Test Virtual Hosts

In a browser, visit the following URLs: http://www.site1.com:8080 – should display Welcome to Site 1. http://www.site2.com:8080 – should display Welcome to Site 2.

Notes

Firewall: If Tomcat runs on a non‑default port (e.g., 8080), ensure the port is allowed. Example:

firewall-cmd --zone=public --add-port=8080/tcp --permanent
firewall-cmd --reload

DNS: In production, configure the domain names ( www.site1.com, www.site2.com) to resolve to the server’s public IP.

Production recommendation: Use Apache or Nginx as a reverse proxy, forward domain requests to Tomcat, and enable HTTPS for security.

Summary

Confirm that the docBase directories exist and have correct permissions.

Open the necessary firewall ports; otherwise external access will fail.

Ensure DNS records point to the server’s public IP for each domain.

For security, place Tomcat behind a reverse proxy (Apache/Nginx) and enable HTTPS.