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Clean URLs for phpBB 3.3.x

Clean URLs is a free phpBB extension by ButtonPusher that replaces long standard phpBB URLs with short, stable and readable URLs.

The extension keeps URLs compact while preserving normal phpBB functionality. Instead of exposing long query strings such as viewtopic.php?f=5&t=123, Clean URLs generates simple ID-based addresses.

Features

  • Short URLs for topics, forums, posts and user profiles.
  • Stable ID-based URLs that do not depend on topic or forum titles.
  • Clean pagination URLs for multi-page topics.
  • Clean links in phpBB-generated HTML.
  • Support for direct post links and anchors.
  • Support for member lists and online-user pages.
  • Clean URLs in sitemap locations.
  • Redirects from supported standard phpBB URLs.
  • Preserves session IDs and required query parameters where necessary.
  • Works with phpBB installed in the domain root or in a subdirectory such as /forum/.
  • No phpBB core file modifications required.
  • Apache, LiteSpeed and nginx support.

URL examples

Clean URLs uses compact routes such as:

  • /t123 – topic
  • /t123-20 – paginated topic
  • /forum-5 – forum
  • /p987 – direct post URL
  • /profile-17 – user profile

A direct link to a post on a paginated topic can also use a URL such as /t123-20#p987.

Requirements

  • phpBB 3.3.x
  • PHP 7.2 or newer
  • Apache or LiteSpeed with mod_rewrite, or nginx
  • Permission to edit .htaccess or the nginx server configuration

Installation

  1. Download the extension archive.
  2. Extract it to your phpBB installation so that the files are located in:
    ext/buttonpusher/cleanurls/
  3. Open the file /docs/apache-rules.txt included with the extension.
  4. Copy its contents into your phpBB .htaccess file immediately after the line:
    RewriteEngine on
  5. Save the .htaccess file.
  6. Open the phpBB Administration Control Panel.
  7. Go to Customise → Manage extensions.
  8. Find Clean URLs and click Enable.
  9. Clear the phpBB cache.

Apache and LiteSpeed

For Apache and LiteSpeed, the setup is simple. Open /docs/apache-rules.txt from the extension package and copy its contents into the phpBB .htaccess file immediately after:

RewriteEngine on

If phpBB is installed in a subdirectory such as /forum/, edit the .htaccess file inside that phpBB directory.

No phpBB core files need to be edited.

nginx

nginx does not use .htaccess. Use the ready-made nginx rewrite rules included in the extension package and add them to the server block that handles your phpBB installation.

After changing the nginx configuration, reload nginx and then enable the extension in the phpBB Administration Control Panel.

No phpBB core modifications

Clean URLs works as a normal phpBB extension and does not require editing phpBB core PHP files or templates.

The only server-side configuration required is the URL rewriting setup for Apache, LiteSpeed or nginx.

Disabling or removing the extension

If you disable Clean URLs, phpBB returns to its standard URL format. Forum, topic, post and user IDs are not changed.

If you remove the extension permanently, also remove the rewrite rules that were added to .htaccess or to the nginx configuration.

Download

Download Clean URLs 1.0.0

Current version: 1.0.0

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