CODEWITHSUNDEEP
php
nighter
nighter

Reputation: 135

Secure folder structure for php site

I'm a Java (SE, EE) developer and I have been working with these techs for almost 6 years, I have also worked with php for non-web apps.

Now I'm required to build a site in php but I have googled a lot and I can't find a standard folder structure for a php site. As may you know in Java EE there is a defined structure and with the web.xml you can define security in order to allow or deny access to folders in the web root.

So the question is: Is there a standard folder structure to bring security in a php site?

If there is not, how can I prevent access to folders in my site, without the need to use .htaccess nor moving my folders to a private area in the web server?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1225

Answers (1)

Jon
Jon

Reputation: 437854

There is no defined structure for PHP projects. Application frameworks invariably use well-defined structures, but that is decided individually by each framework. In addition, the developer can easily work outside these structures (the price being that "automatic" features of the framework might no longer work in some cases).

In order to prevent access to directories in your site you have to do one of the things you mentioned: either use web-server-level mechanisms such as .htaccess or move the directories outside the web root entirely.

That said, in many cases there is no explicit need for such security: by strictly limiting the pieces of code that can produce immediate effects (typically down to just one front controller that boots up the application) and making sure that data is contained inside PHP code (so that the web server will not reveal the contents of files) you effectively render direct access from the outside worthless.

Upvotes: 1

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