One of the most common Webmaster task is to use mod_rewrite Apache module.  It’s a flexible and efficient way to redirect URLs.  It is useful to redirect non-functional URLs, moving domain names or renaming directories.

Below is a list of some of the frequently used mod_rewrites.

Note the [R=301] entries for 301 Permanent Redirect directive on the rules.  It’s a popular use to preserve SEO rankings of an older site that has been moved to a new one.

Simple redirect:

RewriteRule ^/sub/dir/home.html$ /sub/dir2/page.html [R=301,L]

Redirect http://domain.com to http://www.domain.com.  This is especially useful for an SSL certificate that’s already registered to www.domain.com name.  Note, the rule captures the query string and redirects with it:

RewriteCond     %{HTTP_HOST}    ^domain.com$      [NC]
RewriteRule     ^(.*)$          http://www.domain.com$1      [R=301,L]

To capture more than one variables in the query string, use the following.

RewriteRule ^([^/]*)/([^/]*)/([^/]*)$  /sub/program.jsp?arg1=$1&arg2=$2&arg3=$3 [L]

For redirects based on the URL’s query string, use QUERY_STRING to capture it for comparison.  Note the destination URL may use spaces if enclosed in quotes.

RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} ^id=2234$
RewriteRule ^/sub/dir/product.html$ “/sub/dir3/description.html?prodid=vac pro” [L,R=301]

Redirects can also be conditional.  For example, redirect everything except with a certain keyword.

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !/sub/dir/important.html$
RewriteRule ^/sub/dir/.*$ /main/dir/home.html [L,R=301]

With the above rule, it’s possible the original URL may have a query string.  To get rid of it, just add “?” to the end of target RewriteRule. For example:

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !/sub/dir/important.html$
RewriteRule ^/sub/dir/.*$ /main/dir/home.html? [L,R=301]

There are more examples out there.  Writing a comprehensive mod_rewrite guide is a full time job, so this list will continue to grow.  Here are some other useful references:

• Apache HTTPD mod_rewrite Practical Solutions
• The Art of Web – System: mod_rewrite examples
• A beginner’s guide to mod_rewrite (with examples)
• Use mod rewrite for SEO purposes

Photo Credit: Luke Seeley