Apache is a free and open-source web server software that can be installed on Linux and other operating systems. It provides users with web serving, security, and e-commerce functionality out of the box. The document outlines the step-by-step process to download, install, configure, and run the Apache web server on a Linux system. This includes creating directories, downloading and extracting Apache files, configuring settings in the httpd.conf file, and testing the installation by accessing the server locally in a web browser. Virtual hosting is also described as a way to host multiple domains from a single server using Apache.