Скачать или смотреть How to Effectively Use .htaccess for URL Rewriting: Removing .php from URLs

A comprehensive guide on how to use `.htaccess` for URL rewriting in Apache, specifically for removing `.php` from URLs. Enhance your website's readability and SEO.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/64465397/ asked by the user 'Shoyeb Sheikh' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/10704605/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/64465791/ provided by the user 'anubhava' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/548225/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Simplifying URLs: Removing .php with .htaccess

In the world of web development, clean and user-friendly URLs are essential for a variety of reasons, including search engine optimization (SEO) and overall user experience. One common scenario many developers encounter is the need to modify URLs by removing file extensions such as .php. For example, you might want to use a URL like www.example.com/api/1 instead of the traditional www.example.com/api.php/1. In this guide, we will dive into how to achieve this using the .htaccess file.

The Problem: Keeping URLs Clean

You currently have a URL structure that looks like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This format has its limitations, particularly from an SEO perspective, as it includes the .php extension. While you have a basic .htaccess rule that allows for removing .php for the URL www.example.com/api, it doesn't work for more complex URLs like www.example.com/api/1 or even www.example.com/api/. This is where the need for a new .htaccess rule arises.

The Solution: Configuring Your .htaccess File

To remove the .php extension from your URLs while allowing for parameters, you can use the following rewrite rule in your .htaccess file:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of the Rewrite Rule

Let’s break down this code step by step:

RewriteEngine On: This line enables the rewrite engine, allowing URL rewriting features to be activated.

RewriteCond %{DOCUMENT_ROOT}/$1.php -f: This condition checks if the requested file exists in the document root with a .php extension. If the file exists, the rule that follows will be applied.

RewriteRule ^([\w-]+ )(/.*)?$ $1.php$2 [L]: This is the core of the rule:

^([\w-]+ ) captures any word or hyphen characters at the beginning of the URL, effectively matching your API endpoint.

(/.*)? captures any additional segments in the URL following the endpoint, such as /1.

$1.php$2 specifies that the URL should point to $1.php, which translates to api.php, and includes any additional segments captured by $2.

[L] indicates that if this rule is matched, no further rules should be processed.

Testing the Configuration

After adding the above rule to your .htaccess file, it's time to test it. You should try accessing the following URLs:

www.example.com/api - This should successfully redirect to api.php.

www.example.com/api/1 - This should redirect to api.php with the parameter 1.

www.example.com/api/ - This should also properly navigate without the .php extension.

Final Thoughts

By implementing this straightforward rewrite rule in your .htaccess file, you can achieve clean, user-friendly URLs that are beneficial for both users and search engines. This not only enhances your website's SEO capabilities but also helps in maintaining a streamlined appearance for your site, making it more professional.

If you encounter any issues or have questions regarding .htaccess configurations, feel free to leave a comment below!