When you install Laravel on your server or localhost, you might notice that your project URL includes /public, like this:

http://example.com/public

This happens because Laravel places its main entry point inside the public folder for security reasons. However, having /public in the URL looks unprofessional and is not user-friendly.

In this guide, I’ll show you step-by-step how to remove /public from your Laravel URL properly and securely.

Suggested Reading: How to Deploy Laravel Project on cPanel

Why Does Laravel Include the /public Directory in the URL?

Laravel is designed with security in mind. The public directory is the only folder that should be directly accessible by users because it contains the front-facing assets like CSS, JavaScript, and index.php. Meanwhile, the rest of the Laravel application (controllers, models, views, and configuration files) remains secure outside the web root to prevent direct access.

Now, let’s dive into different methods to remove /public from your Laravel URL.

Method 1: Move Contents of Public Folder to Root (Not Recommended)

A quick but risky way to remove /public from the URL is to move all files inside the public folder directly into your root Laravel directory. However, this method is not recommended because it exposes your application files to potential security threats.

If you still want to proceed, follow these steps:

1. Move everything inside the public folder (except .htaccess) to the root folder.
2. Open the index.php file and modify these lines:

require __DIR__.'/../bootstrap/autoload.php';
$app = require_once __DIR__.'/../bootstrap/app.php';

Change them to:

require __DIR__.'/bootstrap/autoload.php';
$app = require_once __DIR__.'/bootstrap/app.php';

Warning: While this works, it is not safe because it exposes critical Laravel directories like routes, storage, and config to the public. Avoid using this method unless absolutely necessary.

Method 2: Use an .htaccess File (Recommended for Shared Hosting)

The best way to remove /public from your Laravel URL is by using an .htaccess file. This method is safe and works well on shared hosting environments like cPanel.

Steps to Use .htaccess to Remove /public from URL

• Create or edit the .htaccess file in the root Laravel folder.
• Add the following rewrite rules:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ public/$1 [L]
</IfModule>

• Save the file and upload it to your server (if applicable).

Now, when you visit http://example.com, it will automatically serve the Laravel application without requiring /public in the URL.

Method 3: Change the Document Root in cPanel or Apache Configuration

If you have full control over your hosting environment (such as VPS or Dedicated servers), a cleaner solution is to change your server’s document root to the public folder.

For cPanel Users

1. Log into cPanel and go to Domains > Manage.
2. Locate your domain and find the Document Root section.
3. Change the document root from /home/youruser/public_html/ to /home/youruser/public_html/public.
4. Save the changes and restart Apache if necessary.

For Apache Users (VPS/Dedicated Server)

1. Open your Apache configuration file (httpd.conf or your virtual host file).
2. Find the <VirtualHost> block for your domain and update the DocumentRoot:

DocumentRoot "/var/www/html/public"
<Directory "/var/www/html/public">
    AllowOverride All
    Require all granted
</Directory>

3. Save the file and restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

For Nginx Users

1. Open your Nginx configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default

2. Change the root directive:

root /var/www/html/public;

3. Save the file and restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

This method ensures that your Laravel app loads correctly without needing an .htaccess workaround.

Method 4: Create a Symbolic Link (Advanced Users)

Another clean way to remove /public is by creating a symbolic link that points the public_html folder to the Laravel public directory.

Steps to Create a Symbolic Link

1. Backup your current html directory:

mv html html_backup

2. Create a symbolic link from html to Laravel’s public folder:

ln -s /home/youruser/laravel_project/public /home/youruser/html

3. Verify the symbolic link:

ls -l /home/youruser/html

This approach keeps your Laravel structure intact while making the public files accessible through html.

Conclusion

Removing /public from your Laravel URL is essential for a professional-looking and user-friendly website. Depending on your hosting setup, you can use:

.htaccess Rewrite Rules – Best for shared hosting and quick fixes.
Changing Document Root – Ideal for cPanel, VPS, or dedicated servers.
Creating a Symbolic Link – Useful for keeping Laravel’s structure clean.

Avoid moving files out of the public directory, as it poses security risks.

I hope this guide helps you set up your Laravel project the right way! If you have any questions, reach out to Aveshost support or drop a comment below.

Happy Coding!

Suggested Reading:

• How to Remove .html, .php, or Both from URLs
• How to Buy cPanel Hosting for Your Website: Beginner’s Guide
• How to Install an SSL Certificate in cPanel
• How to Set Up a PostgreSQL Database and User in cPanel
• How to Set Up a MySQL Database & User in cPanel (2 Easy Methods)
• How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows, Mac, Linux & Browsers

FAQs on How to Remove /public from Laravel URL

Having clean and user-friendly URLs is essential for improving website navigation and SEO. By removing file extensions like .html and .php, you can create shorter, more readable URLs that enhance user experience and look more professional. Additionally, search engines prefer concise URLs, which can contribute to better rankings.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process to remove file extensions from URLs using .htaccess. Whether you want to remove only .html, only .php, or both, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s what we’ll cover:
How to remove .html file extensions
How to remove .php file extensions
How to remove both .html and .php extensions for a cleaner URL structure

By the end of this guide, your website URLs will look cleaner, more professional, and easier to remember!

Step 1: Check if .htaccess Exists

Before making changes, ensure your website is running on an Apache server with mod_rewrite enabled.

1. Go to your website’s root directory (e.g., public_html).
2. Look for a file named .htaccess.
   • If it exists, edit it.
   • If not, create a new file named .htaccess.

Step 2: Remove .html from URLs

To remove .html extensions and make URLs cleaner, add the following code to your .htaccess file:

RewriteEngine On

# Redirect .html URLs to clean URLs (for SEO)
RewriteCond %{THE_REQUEST} ^[A-Z]{3,}\s([^.]+)\.html\sHTTP [NC]
RewriteRule ^ %1 [R=301,L]

# Serve .html files without typing .html
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME}.html -f
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ $1.html [NC,L]

Example:

• yourdomainname.com/about.html → yourdomainname.com/about
• yourdomainname.com/contact.html → yourdomainname.com/contact

Step 3: Remove .php from URLs

To remove .php extensions, add this to your .htaccess file:

RewriteEngine On

# Redirect .php URLs to clean URLs (for SEO)
RewriteCond %{THE_REQUEST} ^[A-Z]{3,}\s([^.]+)\.php\sHTTP [NC]
RewriteRule ^ %1 [R=301,L]

# Serve .php files without typing .php
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME}.php -f
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ $1.php [NC,L]

Example:

• yourdomainname.com/about.php → yourdomainname.com/about
• yourdomainname.com/contact.php → yourdomainname.com/contact

Step 4: Remove Both .html and .php

If your website has both .html and .php files and you want to remove both extensions, use this:

RewriteEngine On

# Redirect .html and .php URLs to clean URLs (for SEO)
RewriteCond %{THE_REQUEST} ^[A-Z]{3,}\s([^.]+)\.(html|php)\sHTTP [NC]
RewriteRule ^ %1 [R=301,L]

# Serve files without .html or .php in the URL
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME}.html -f
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ $1.html [NC,L]

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME}.php -f
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ $1.php [NC,L]

Example:

• yourdomainname.com/about.html → yourdomainname.com/about
• yourdomainname.com/about.php → yourdomainname.com/about

Step 5: Update Internal Links

Now that your URLs no longer require .html or .php, it’s essential to update all internal links throughout your website.

Manually Update Links – Go through your HTML, PHP, or database links and remove .html or .php where necessary.

Update Navigation Menus – If your website has navigation menus or buttons linking to pages with file extensions, modify them to use the new clean URLs.

Check Dynamic Links – If your site dynamically generates links (e.g., via a CMS or PHP scripts), ensure they point to URLs without file extensions.

By updating all internal links, you ensure a smooth browsing experience and avoid broken links.

• Change this:

<a href="about.html">About</a>

• To this:

<a href="about">About</a>

Step 6: Clear Cache and Test

• Clear your browser cache.
• Restart Apache (if needed):

systemctl restart apache2  # Ubuntu/Debian
systemctl restart httpd    # CentOS/RHEL

• Test your new URLs!

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have successfully removed .html and .php file extensions from your URLs, making them cleaner and more user-friendly. This small yet impactful change enhances your website’s SEO, improves user experience, and makes your links easier to read and remember.

Clean URLs contribute to a more professional web presence, and search engines tend to favor shorter, keyword-rich URLs. Now, your website looks more modern, structured, and optimized for both visitors and search engines.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, let us know in the comments or feel free to reach out to Aveshost Support!

Happy optimizing!  

Suggested Reading:

• How to Install an SSL Certificate in cPanel 
• How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows, Mac, Linux & Browsers
• How to Set Up a MySQL Database & User in cPanel (2 Easy Methods)
• How to Buy cPanel Hosting for Your Website: Beginner’s Guide
• How to Set Up a PostgreSQL Database and User in cPanel

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)