Introduction There was a time I wanted to remove my (.PHP) extension from my  project URL. It became an extreme challenge for me, and I was bored cause  I wished my .php not to show, then I stumbled into mod_rewrite. Ever  since then, I have appreciated mod_rewrite functionality. I was able to remove my extension in my project using my .htaccess. This tutorial will explain everything you should  know about removing the php extension. Before then, if you have no idea about php mod_rewrite, I’ll advise you to read my tutorial titled: What You Should Know About PHP Mod_Rewrite And Mod_Security. It will help you have an idea about Mod rewrite, and having this idea will make this tutorial more understandable for you. Now, without wasting much of your time, let’s jump right into this guide! What is a .htaccess the .htaccess is a file used for configuration by the Apache web  server to control the behavior of the websites. It is frequently used to  handle error pages, redirect online traffic, enforce security  regulations, limit access to a website, and carry out other  website-related duties. Note: the root directory of a website is where the .htaccess file is  stored, and it’s typically hidden from view. The .htaccess file can be  edited with a text editor, and all the changes will take effect  immediately, which makes the file a flexible and powerful tool for web  administrators. Features Of The .htacess File Below are the things the .htaccess file enables you to do URL Redirection: Users can be redirected from an outdated URL to a new URL using the .htaccess file. Password Protection: A website, directory, or particular file can be password-protected using the .htaccess file. Restricting Access to Specific Files and Directories: The .htaccess file may be used to limit access to specific files or directories. Custom Error Pages: You may make custom error pages  for HTTP error codes like 404 (Not Found) and 500 using the .htaccess  file (Internal Server Error). Rewrite Rules: To make URLs more user- or SEO-friendly, rewrite them using the .htaccess file. MIME Types: You may define the MIME type of a file in the .htaccess file. Prevent Hotlinking: You may stop other websites from creating hotlinks to your photos and other media assets by using the .htaccess file. Activate Compression: The .htaccess file may be used to activate GZIP compression, which can accelerate a website's loading time. Compel HTTPS: The .htaccess file may be used to force HTTPS encryption for all traffic to a website. Block Spam Bots: To stop spam bots from visiting a website, the .htaccess file may be used to block particular IP addresses or user agents. In this tutorial, we’ll be focusing only on rewriting URLs. Removing The .php Extension You must first enable mod rewrite on the Apache web server before  moving on. The procedures to activate mod_rewrite (.htaccess) on the  Apache web server are listed below first. Open htaccess File Run the following command in a terminal window to view the .htaccess  file. Please modify the file path of the .htaccess file according to  your needs. $ sudo nano /var/www/html/.htaccess Eliminating the.php Extension from the URL To remove the .php extension from the URL of your website, you can use the following code in your .htaccess file: RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME}\.php -f
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ $1.php With the help of this code, the Apache web server will be instructed  to drop the .php extension from the URL while still serving the proper  .php file. For instance, the Apache web server will deliver the file  page.php without displaying the.php suffix in the URL if a user attempts  to visit the URL http://example.com/page. Remember: Before making changes, always create a  backup of your .htaccess file. Your website may malfunction or become  unavailable if you make incorrect modifications to the .htaccess file. Restart the Apache web server The Apache server may be restarted using the following command. $ sudo systemctl restart httpd Or you can restart it on your xampp as well. Adding a trailing slash at the end Many people asked me how to add a trailing slash at the end, for instance: yoursite.com/page/ Put the code below in and disregard the first snippet. The removal of  the extension is addressed in the first four lines, and the insertion  of the trailing slash and redirection is addressed in the remaining  lines. Server-side redirects:


Apache: You can use the .htaccess file to add a rewrite rule to redirect the URL. Here is an example: RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(.*)/$
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1/ [L,R=301] Nginx: You can use the following configuration in your nginx.conf file: location / {
        if (!-e $request_filename){
            rewrite ^(.*)$ /$1/ permanent;
        }
    } Redirects that happen on the client side: You can use JavaScript to change the URL in the browser. Here's an illustration: if (location.pathname.substr(-1) !== '/') {
        location.pathname = location.pathname + '/' + location.search + location.hash;
    } Note: Depending on your unique use case and configuration, you should apply the abovementioned approaches. Conclusion We’ve come to the end of this tutorial. Hopefully, you’ve been enlightened on How to use mod_rewrite to remove your (.php) extension  from your URL. We’ve learned how to remove the extensions using mod_rewrite in the  .htaccess file. And how to add a trailing slash and lots more. We’ve seen a lot by just talking about this tutorial. So feel free to drop a comment! And if you want more instructions, please follow me. Till next time, have a wonderful day! About The Author Emmanuel Okolie is a full-stack laravel developer with 2+  years of experience in the software development industry. He has developed full-fledged capabilities by combining software development, writing, and teaching others what he does. His stacks contain ReactJs, Laravel, PHP, JavaScript, and more. He works as a freelancer, creating websites for customers and  technical guides to show others how to accomplish his work. Emmanuel Okolie is ready and willing to talk with you. Kindly visit and follow him on Linked-In, Facebook, Github, Twitter, or his Website. Introduction There was a time I wanted to remove my (.PHP) extension from my  project URL. It became an extreme challenge for me, and I was bored cause  I wished my .php not to show, then I stumbled into mod_rewrite. Ever  since then, I have appreciated mod_rewrite functionality. I was able to remove my extension in my project using my .htaccess. This tutorial will explain everything you should  know about removing the php extension. Before then, if you have no idea about php mod_rewrite, I’ll advise you to read my tutorial titled: What You Should Know About PHP Mod_Rewrite And Mod_Security. It will help you have an idea about Mod rewrite, and having this idea will make this tutorial more understandable for you. What You Should Know About PHP Mod_Rewrite And Mod_Security. Mod_Rewrite And Mod_Security. Now, without wasting much of your time, let’s jump right into this guide! What is a .htaccess the .htaccess is a file used for configuration by the Apache web  server to control the behavior of the websites. It is frequently used to  handle error pages, redirect online traffic, enforce security  regulations, limit access to a website, and carry out other  website-related duties. Note: the root directory of a website is where the .htaccess file is  stored, and it’s typically hidden from view. The .htaccess file can be  edited with a text editor, and all the changes will take effect  immediately, which makes the file a flexible and powerful tool for web  administrators. Features Of The .htacess File Below are the things the .htaccess file enables you to do URL Redirection: Users can be redirected from an outdated URL to a new URL using the .htaccess file. URL Redirection: Password Protection: A website, directory, or particular file can be password-protected using the .htaccess file. Password Protection: Restricting Access to Specific Files and Directories: The .htaccess file may be used to limit access to specific files or directories. Restricting Access to Specific Files and Directories: Custom Error Pages: You may make custom error pages  for HTTP error codes like 404 (Not Found) and 500 using the .htaccess  file (Internal Server Error). Custom Error Pages: Rewrite Rules: To make URLs more user- or SEO-friendly, rewrite them using the .htaccess file. Rewrite Rules: MIME Types: You may define the MIME type of a file in the .htaccess file. MIME Types: Prevent Hotlinking: You may stop other websites from creating hotlinks to your photos and other media assets by using the .htaccess file. Prevent Hotlinking: Activate Compression: The .htaccess file may be used to activate GZIP compression, which can accelerate a website's loading time. Activate Compression: Compel HTTPS: The .htaccess file may be used to force HTTPS encryption for all traffic to a website. Compel HTTPS: Block Spam Bots: To stop spam bots from visiting a website, the .htaccess file may be used to block particular IP addresses or user agents. Block Spam Bots: In this tutorial, we’ll be focusing only on rewriting URLs . rewriting URLs Removing The .php Extension You must first enable mod rewrite on the Apache web server before  moving on. The procedures to activate mod_rewrite (.htaccess) on the  Apache web server are listed below first. Open htaccess File Open htaccess File Open htaccess File Run the following command in a terminal window to view the .htaccess  file. Please modify the file path of the .htaccess file according to  your needs. $ sudo nano /var/www/html/.htaccess $ sudo nano /var/www/html/.htaccess Eliminating the.php Extension from the URL Eliminating the.php Extension from the URL Eliminating the.php Extension from the URL To remove the .php extension from the URL of your website, you can use the following code in your .htaccess file: RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME}\.php -f
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ $1.php RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME}\.php -f
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ $1.php With the help of this code, the Apache web server will be instructed  to drop the .php extension from the URL while still serving the proper  .php file. For instance, the Apache web server will deliver the file  page.php without displaying the.php suffix in the URL if a user attempts  to visit the URL http://example.com/page. http://example.com/page. Remember: Before making changes, always create a  backup of your .htaccess file. Your website may malfunction or become  unavailable if you make incorrect modifications to the .htaccess file. Remember: Restart the Apache web server Restart the Apache web server Restart the Apache web server The Apache server may be restarted using the following command. $ sudo systemctl restart httpd $ sudo systemctl restart httpd Or you can restart it on your xampp as well. Adding a trailing slash at the end Many people asked me how to add a trailing slash at the end, for instance: yoursite.com/page/ yoursite.com/page/ Put the code below in and disregard the first snippet. The removal of  the extension is addressed in the first four lines, and the insertion  of the trailing slash and redirection is addressed in the remaining  lines. Server-side redirects: Apache: You can use the .htaccess file to add a rewrite rule to redirect the URL. Here is an example: Server-side redirects: Server-side redirects: Server-side redirects: Apache: You can use the .htaccess file to add a rewrite rule to redirect the URL. Here is an example: Apache: You can use the .htaccess file to add a rewrite rule to redirect the URL. Here is an example: Apache: .htaccess RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(.*)/$
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1/ [L,R=301] RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(.*)/$
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1/ [L,R=301] Nginx: You can use the following configuration in your nginx.conf file: Nginx: You can use the following configuration in your nginx.conf file: Nginx: nginx.conf location / {
        if (!-e $request_filename){
            rewrite ^(.*)$ /$1/ permanent;
        }
    } location / {
        if (!-e $request_filename){
            rewrite ^(.*)$ /$1/ permanent;
        }
    } Redirects that happen on the client side: You can use JavaScript to change the URL in the browser. Here's an illustration: Redirects that happen on the client side: You can use JavaScript to change the URL in the browser. Here's an illustration: Redirects that happen on the client side: if (location.pathname.substr(-1) !== '/') {
        location.pathname = location.pathname + '/' + location.search + location.hash;
    } if (location.pathname.substr(-1) !== '/') {
        location.pathname = location.pathname + '/' + location.search + location.hash;
    } Note: Depending on your unique use case and configuration, you should apply the abovementioned approaches. Note: Conclusion We’ve come to the end of this tutorial. Hopefully, you’ve been enlightened on How to use mod_rewrite to remove your (.php) extension  from your URL. We’ve learned how to remove the extensions using mod_rewrite in the  .htaccess file. And how to add a trailing slash and lots more. We’ve seen a lot by just talking about this tutorial. So feel free to drop a comment! And if you want more instructions , please follow me. instructions instructions Till next time, have a wonderful day! About The Author Emmanuel Okolie is a full-stack laravel developer with 2+ years of experience in the software development industry. He has developed full-fledged capabilities by combining software development, writing, and teaching others what he does. His stacks contain ReactJs, Laravel, PHP, JavaScript, and more. Emmanuel Okolie 2+ ReactJs, Laravel, PHP, JavaScript, He works as a freelancer, creating websites for customers and  technical guides to show others how to accomplish his work. Emmanuel Okolie is ready and willing to talk with you. Kindly visit and follow him on Linked-In, Facebook, Github, Twitter, or his Website. Emmanuel Okolie Linked-In , Linked-In Facebook , Facebook Github , Github Twitter , Twitter Website . Website

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