"Starting your Apache server properly is a simple but important
task. The first thing that httpd does when invoked is to locate and
read the configuration file, httpd.conf. Within this file are the
locations and settings for the Apache server’s startup. You
would specify what your root web location is, as well as dozens of
other configuration directives.
"During startup, the Apache server parses the httpd.conf file
and applies the settings and directives you have within this file
to that instance of the Apache server. The locations for your files
can be anywhere on the current machine, either on a Linux operating
system or a Windows operating system. It is understood that the
user is adept on either or both of these operating systems before
the installation of Apache."