October 6, 2005

Introduction to using mod_rewrite

Written by Brian Turner

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Why mod_rewrite is important

Mod_rewrite is an important topic, because one of the biggest development issues for the online business is having a site that is friendly to search engines.

This is because search engines of all types have become the major way for people to find not just information, but also products and services.

The problem is that many e-commerce site packages and even bespoke systems will suffer from appallingly long URLs that effectively make a site invisible to search engine spiders.

A site with such a problem is almost certainly losing significant sales from lack of natural listings.

How mod_rewrite works

Mod_rewrite offers a way to take database-driven dynamic URLs and represent them as simpler static page URLs.

This not simply makes it easier for search engine spiders to use, but if important keywords are included in the mod_rewritten URLs, then it can mean the pages will rank higher in search engines. This can draw in higher numbers of targeted traffic, resulting in increased lead generation.

Mod_rewritten pages can also be easier for human users to use because they are more descriptive and easier to remember.

Why isn’t mod_rewrite more common?

Now that we’ve established why mod_rewrite is important, and how mod_rewrite works, the obvious question then is why software developers do not use mod_rewrite more often.

The simple fact is that developers are often not aware that mod_rewrite is an important issue, because developers are usually unaware of basic marketing issues, let alone specialist SEO concerns as well.

Also, mod_rewrite is only usable on Linux/Apache web servers, which although the most common configuration for servers on the internet, it still leaves a significant number of users unable to employ it. This is especially as not all Linux/Apache servers will have mod_rewrite as a module installed on the machine.

Another factor is that mod_rewrite is also a very specialist area of development, and individuals who can perform good mod_rewrite modifications to software can command very high fees for their their work.

Nowadays, a number of more common web publishing applications often provide some form of mod_rewrite, mainly because of the growing awareness of its commercial importance.

However, if you wish to take the challenge of providing custom mod_rewrite work, hopefully this guide will be of help.

Understanding mod_rewrite

The first step to understanding mod_rewrite is to refer to the official Apache documentation, Module mod_rewrite URL Rewriting Engine.

However, as with many instruction manuals, it can look daunting and intimidating to learn from.

A simpler introduction to using mod_rewrite can be found on the PIM Team Bulgaria’s MOD_REWRITE for Dummies, which helps to try and explain how to apply mod_rewrite in a more user-friendly way.

Another useful introduction to using mod_rewrite can be found at the Doriat site article How to mod_rewrite your site powered by php script?, which helps describe how to apply mod_rewrite rules in a very particular instance.

Filed Under Tutorials