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

1. Prepare directories and content for virtual hosts

Create a separate directory for each virtual host and place a simple test file inside.

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

Create test files

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

2. Modify Tomcat's server.xml

Edit $CATALINA_HOME/conf/server.xml, locate the <Engine> element under <Service name="Catalina">, and add two <Host> blocks for the virtual hosts.

Example configuration

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

    <!-- default localhost -->
    <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 explanation

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 docBase is specified directly. docBase: the document root directory for each virtual host ( /var/www/site1 and /var/www/site2). path: set to "" to indicate the root path (/).

3. Test access

After restarting Tomcat, open a browser and 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".

4. Restart Tomcat

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

5. Additional considerations

Firewall

If Tomcat runs on a non‑default port, ensure the port is allowed through the firewall.

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

DNS

In a production environment, configure DNS records for www.site1.com and www.site2.com to point to the server's public IP address.

Production tips

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

Avoid exposing Tomcat directly to the internet; the reverse proxy adds an extra layer of protection.

Conclusion

Configuring Tomcat virtual hosts is not difficult once you pay attention to directory paths, firewall rules, and DNS settings; careful configuration prevents common pitfalls.