How to Remove index.php from CodeIgniter 4 URLs

Описание: Discover how to effectively remove `index.php` from your CodeIgniter 4 URL using mod_rewrite and Apache settings. Learn step-by-step instructions for a cleaner web address.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/75303151/ asked by the user 'Dylano236' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/8524908/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/75314871/ provided by the user 'machan' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/12153307/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Noting I do removes "index.php" from CodeIgniter 4 url

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Remove index.php from CodeIgniter 4 URLs

One common issue for developers working with CodeIgniter 4 is the presence of index.php in the URL. Many want to streamline their URLs for cleaner and more user-friendly web addresses. In this guide, we will discuss the problem of the index.php showing up in URLs and how to solve it effectively.

The Problem: index.php in CodeIgniter 4 URLs

The default routing mechanism of CodeIgniter includes index.php in the URL, as seen in the following format:

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

While this is functional, it can be undesirable for production environments. Developers are often interested in a cleaner URL structure, similar to this:

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

A developer recently faced this issue and suspected a problem with their Vagrant setup. After many unsuccessful attempts to find a solution through various online guides, they were still unable to remove index.php from their URLs.

The Solution: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Ensure mod_rewrite is Enabled

The first step towards successfully removing index.php is to ensure that the Apache mod_rewrite module is enabled. This module allows for URL rewriting, which is necessary for the removal process.

To enable mod_rewrite, run the following commands in your terminal:

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

This step is crucial as it allows Apache to perform the URL rewriting needed for the configuration changes to take effect.

2. Modify the App.php Configuration

Next, navigate to your App.php configuration file within the app/Config directory, and make sure you have the following settings:

Set the indexPage variable to an empty string:

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

This setting effectively tells CodeIgniter not to append index.php to generated URLs.

3. Review Your .htaccess File

The .htaccess file plays a vital role in the URL rewriting process. Here’s what you will need to ensure is included in your .htaccess file:

Make sure to include these essential rewrite rules:

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

Ensure that the .htaccess file is located in the same directory as your index.php file, and that it has correct access permissions set, allowing Apache to read and execute it.

4. Check Apache Configurations

The final check involves ensuring your Apache configuration is set to allow the use of .htaccess. In your Apache configuration (typically in a file like 000-default.conf or a site-specific config), ensure that the <Directory> directive includes this line:

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

This allows the rules defined in your .htaccess file to take effect. If it’s not set, update it and make sure to restart Apache after changes.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully remove index.php from your CodeIgniter 4 URLs, resulting in a cleaner and more professional web address structure. Always remember to ensure mod_rewrite is enabled and double-check your configurations in both App.php and your .htaccess file.

If you're still facing challenges after implementing these changes, it may be worth revisiting your Apache configuration and confirming that your server's environment supports these settings effectively.

Feel free to reach out with questions or further issues you may encounter!