Show active Vhost configuration in Apache

apache2ctl -S

Enable vhost in apache

a2ensite $VHOST.conf

Disable vhost in apache

a2dissite $VHOST.conf

Enable SSL in apache

a3enmod ssl

Check for errors in apache

apache2ctl configtest

Note This will NOT work while using wordpress with .htaccess file Install Apache utils package

apt-get update
apt-get install apache2-utils

create password file and user

htpasswd -c /etc/apache2/.htpasswd $USERNAME

LEAVE OFF -c for additional users

htpasswd /etc/apache2/.htpasswd $USERNAME2

Must be added to the ‘Directory’ section of the Apache VirtualHost file

  AuthType Basic
  AuthName "Restricted Content"
  AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/.htpasswd
  Require valid-user

check apache configuration

apache2ctl configtest

restart apache

systemctl restart apache

if seeing misconfiguration errors, may need to update ownership of .htpasswd

chown www-data:www-data /etc/apache2/.htpasswd