Comprehensive Guide to Setting Up Clean URL Routing with Apache and PHP

Introduction

Clean URLs enhance the readability and SEO-friendliness of web addresses, making them easier for users to remember and share. This guide will walk you through setting up clean URL routing using Apache's .htaccess and PHP. By the end, you'll have a robust system where direct access to PHP files is restricted, and only clean URLs are accessible.

Prerequisites

• A working Apache server

• Basic knowledge of PHP

• Access to your server's .htaccess file

Step-by-Step Process

1. Initial Setup

Before diving into the configuration, ensure your server allows the use of .htaccess files. This is typically enabled by the AllowOverride All directive in your Apache configuration.

2. Create Your Directory Structure

For this guide, let's assume the following directory structure:

/yourproject
├── /auth
│   ├── login.php
│   └── signup.php
├── /pages
│   ├── home.php
│   ├── about.php
│   ├── contact.php
│   ├── 404.php
├── /Learn
│   └── hide-url.php
└── index.php

3. Configure .htaccess

Create or update your .htaccess file in the root directory (/yourproject) with the following content:

RewriteEngine On

# Deny direct access to any PHP files
RewriteCond %{THE_REQUEST} \s/[^?]*\.php [NC]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/index.php [NC]
RewriteRule ^ - [R=404,L]

# Route all other requests to index.php
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php [QSA,L]

Explanation:

1. RewriteEngine On: Enables the rewriting engine.

2. Deny Direct Access to PHP Files:

    RewriteCond %{THE_REQUEST} \s/[^?]*\.php [NC]
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/index.php [NC]
    RewriteRule ^ - [R=404,L]
   

   • The first condition checks if the request includes a direct PHP file access.

   • The second condition ensures that index.php itself can still be accessed.

   • If both conditions are met, it returns a 404 error, denying direct access to PHP files.

3. Route All Other Requests to index.php:

    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php [QSA,L]
   

   • Routes all requests, except those for existing files or directories, to index.php.

4. Update index.php for Routing

In your index.php, add the following PHP code to handle routing based on clean URLs:

<?php
// List of available routes
$routes = [
    '' => 'pages/home.php',
    'about' => 'pages/about.php',
    'contact' => 'pages/contact.php',
    'login' => 'auth/login.php',
    'signup' => 'auth/signup.php',
    'submit-form' => 'Learn/hide-url.php',
];

// Get the request URI and trim any leading/trailing slashes
$request = trim($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], '/');

// Remove query string from request
$request = explode('?', $request, 2)[0];

// Check if the requested route exists in the routes array
if (array_key_exists($request, $routes)) {
    // Include the corresponding page
    include $routes[$request];
} else {
    // Include the 404 page
    include 'pages/404.php';
}
?>

Explanation:

1. List of Routes: Defines the clean URL routes and their corresponding PHP files.

2. Processing the Request:

   • Trims leading/trailing slashes from the request URI.

   • Removes any query string from the request.

3. Route Matching:

   • Checks if the requested route exists in the $routes array.

   • Includes the corresponding PHP file if a match is found.

   • Includes the 404.php file if no match is found.

Testing Your Setup

With the configuration in place, here’s how your site should behave:

1. Accessing Clean URLs:

   • http://yourdomain.com/about should load pages/about.php.

   • http://yourdomain.com/contact should load pages/contact.php.

2. Direct Access to PHP Files:

   • http://yourdomain.com/pages/about.php should result in a 404 error.

   • http://yourdomain.com/auth/login.php should result in a 404 error.

   • http://yourdomain.com/Learn/hide-url.php should result in a 404 error.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you have successfully set up clean URL routing using Apache's .htaccess and PHP. This configuration enhances the readability and security of your URLs by ensuring that only clean URLs are accessible and direct access to PHP files is restricted.