Step-by-Step Guide to Configure Tomcat Virtual Hosts on CentOS for Multiple Domains

Introduction

The article explains how to host multiple websites on a single CentOS server using Tomcat virtual hosts, providing a complete, hands‑on walkthrough from directory preparation to testing.

1. Prepare Virtual Host Directories

Create a distinct directory for each site and place a simple test page.

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

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 $CATALINA_HOME/conf/server.xml and locate the <Engine> element (usually under <Service name="Catalina">). Add a <Host> block for each site.

<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

: domain name of the virtual host (e.g., www.site1.com). appBase: set to an empty string because docBase points directly to the site directory. docBase: absolute path to the site’s document root ( /var/www/site1 or /var/www/site2). path: set to "" so the host serves at the root URL ( /).

3. Restart Tomcat

Apply the new configuration by stopping and starting Tomcat:

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

4. Test the Virtual Hosts

Visit the domains in a browser:

http://www.site1.com:8080 → should display Welcome to Site 1 http://www.site2.com:8080 → should display

Welcome to Site 2

5. Additional Considerations

Firewall

If Tomcat runs on a non‑standard port, open it in the firewall:

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

DNS

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

Production Recommendations

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

Conclusion

Configuring Tomcat virtual hosts is straightforward once you understand the <Engine> and <Host> elements. Pay attention to correct docBase paths, firewall rules, DNS settings, and consider a reverse proxy for a hardened production deployment.