How to remove index.php from Joomla URL

Posted in Tutorials

Let’s say that I have created a Joomla article within the “Python” category.  The URL that Joomla 3.2.3 out-of-the-box created for me is …

/index.php/8-python/1-python-if-else-statements

See that it has the index.php in each of my URLs.  To remove the index.php from the URL, you have to turn on URL rewriting.

1. Go to “System -> Global Configuration” and hover over “Use URL Rewriting” to see the instructions…

2.  Before we set “Use URL rewriting” to Yes, the instruction says …

“Select to use a server’s rewrite engine to catch URLs that meet specific conditions and rewrite them as directed.  Available for IIS 7 and Apache.
Appach users only!
Rename htaccess.txt to .htaccess before activiting.
IIS 7 Users only!
Rename web.config.txt to web.config and install IIS URL Rewrite Module before activating.

So for apache servers, you want to go to the directory on the server where your Joomla is installed.  Then rename the htaccess.txt to .htaccess file if there is no existing .htaccess.  If you do have an already existing .htaccess file, then you have to merge the contents of htaccess.txt to the existing .htaccess file.

3.  Once you have performed what was asked for your particular server, set “Use URL rewriting” to Yes.  Now refresh the site and see that the web URL to the article becomes …

/8-python/1-python-if-else-statements

In another article, we will show you how to remove the article and category id numbers from the URL.

 

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