Web Site Cookbook

2.8. Making URLs Easy to Find and Remember

Problem

You need to turn complex content management system, blog, or shopping cart URLs into easy-to-remember URLs.

Solution

Use mod_rewrite rules in an .htaccess file to invisibly turn simple URLs into complex query strings that return dynamic pages to the visitor's browser. For example, an e-commerce site that sells men and women's clothes might offer a variety of men's shoes, such as boots, oxfords, sandals, and loafers.

A URL for the list of loafers might look like this:

http://mensandwomensclothes.com/store/list.php?type=mens&cat=shoes&subcat=loafers

Using rewrite rules, you can tidy up the URL to something like this:

http://mensandwomensclothes.com/store/mens/shoes/loafers/

A rewrite rule in the .htaccess file that you create or modify in the /store directory takes care of converting the clean URL to the more complex query string that the store template (list.php) needs to generate the list of loafers from the store database. Here's the code for the rewrite rule:

	RewriteEngine On
	Options +FollowSymLinks
	RewriteRule ^(.*)/(.*)/(.*)/$ /store/list.php?type=$1&cat=$2&subcat=$3

Assuming the mod_rewrite module has been compiled into your installation of Apache (typically, it has), the first line (RewriteEngine On) prepares the module for the rewrite rule or rules to follow. The second line (Options +FollowSymLinks) can be left out if it's already in the main Apache configuration file (typically, httpd.conf).

The third line contains the rule. Three ...