apache2: /etc/hosts won't redirect to apache2

Question

I have newly installed apache2 and by visiting localhost apache2 is shown to be up and running. I want the same to happen when I put app in the browser. When I do try to go visit app the browser gives a Unable to connect message.

What I have done so far

I changed my etc/hosts/ file to include app.

127.0.0.1   localhost app
127.0.1.1   ubuntu
...

I would then expect http://app/ to resolve to the apache2 page(as I want it to), but that doesn't happen. Therefore I tried to ping app. This worked and was shown to resolve to 127.0.0.1.

Next I tried to restart apache2, but the result stayed the same.

Why do I get Unable to connect message and how do I make it redirect me to apache2?

EDIT:

I've tried to add app here too.

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName app
    ServerAlias www.app
    ServerAdmin webmaster@app
    DocumentRoot /var/www/app

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/app-error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/app-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

I then run the command a2ensite app.conf and then I restart apache2 with systemctl reload apache2.

Still when I put app in the browser field I get a Unable to connect message.

Hmm. Don't use a browser, but something that will actually give you a useful error message e.g. curl. — Michael Hampton, Jul 19 '21 at 23:46
That worked. Thanks. Why does curl work, but not the browser? — Mr Krisey, Jul 19 '21 at 23:49
Did you actually use the literal string `app`? You can't do that. It is a real live domain on the Internet and you don't own it. Use something else, like a subdomain of your own domain name. — Michael Hampton, Jul 19 '21 at 23:53
That's also a real live domain, you don't own it, and every domain in `dev` must use HTTPS. Browsers strictly enforce this. — Michael Hampton, Jul 19 '21 at 23:55
Thank you again! That fixed my problem entirely. Is it a standard of some sorts that `dev` and probably others like `com` enforce https? — Mr Krisey, Jul 19 '21 at 23:59

apache2: /etc/hosts won't redirect to apache2

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