mod_userdir - Apache HTTP Server Version 2.4 Modules Directives FAQ Glossary Apache HTTP Server Version 2.4 Apache HTTP Server Documentation Version 2.4 Modules Apache Module mod_userdir Available Languages: en fr ja ko tr Description: User-specific directories Status: Base Module Identifier: userdir_module Source File: mod_userdir.c Summary By using this module you are allowing multiple users to host content within the same origin. The same origin policy is a key principle of Javascript and web security. By hosting web pages in the same origin these pages can read and control each other and security issues in one page may affect another. This is particularly dangerous in combination with web pages involving dynamic content and authentication and when your users don't necessarily trust each other. This module allows user-specific directories to be accessed using the syntax. Directives UserDir Bugfix checklist httpd changelog Known issues Report a bug See also Mapping URLs to the Filesystem public_html tutorial Comments UserDir Directive Description: Location of the user-specific directories Syntax: UserDir directory-filename directory-filename ] ... Context: server config, virtual host Status: Base Module: mod_userdir The UserDir directive sets the real directory in a user's home directory to use when a request for a document for a user is received. Directory-filename is one of the following: The name of a directory or a pattern such as those shown below. The keyword disabled . This turns off all username-to-directory translations except those explicitly named with the enabled keyword (see below). The keyword disabled followed by a space-delimited list of usernames. Usernames that appear in such a list will never have directory translation performed, even if they appear in an enabled clause. The keyword enabled followed by a space-delimited list of usernames. These usernames will have directory translation performed even if a global disable is in effect, but not if they also appear in a disabled clause. If neither the enabled nor the disabled keywords appear in the Userdir directive, the argument is treated as a filename pattern, and is used to turn the name into a directory specification. A request for will be translated to: UserDir directive used Translated path UserDir public_html ~bob/public_html/one/two.html UserDir /usr/web /usr/web/bob/one/two.html UserDir /home/*/www /home/bob/www/one/two.html The following directives will send redirects to the client: UserDir directive used Translated path UserDir http://www.example.com/users UserDir http://www.example.com/*/usr UserDir http://www.example.com/~*/ Be careful when using this directive; for instance, "UserDir ./" would map "/~root" to "/" - which is probably undesirable. It is strongly recommended that your configuration include a " UserDir disabled root " declaration. See also the Directory directive and the Security Tips page for more information. Additional examples: To allow a few users to have UserDir directories, but not anyone else, use the following: UserDir disabled UserDir enabled user1 user2 user3 To allow most users to have UserDir directories, but deny this to a few, use the following: UserDir disabled user4 user5 user6 It is also possible to specify alternative user directories. If you use a command like: UserDir "public_html" "/usr/web" "http://www.example.com/" With a request for , will try to find the page at ~bob/public_html/one/two.html first, then /usr/web/bob/one/two.html , and finally it will send a redirect to If you add a redirect, it must be the last alternative in the list. Apache httpd cannot determine if the redirect succeeded or not, so if you have the redirect earlier in the list, that will always be the alternative that is used. User directory substitution is not active by default in versions 2.1.4 and later. In earlier versions, UserDir public_html was assumed if no UserDir directive was present. Merging details Lists of specific enabled and disabled users are replaced, not merged, from global to virtual host scope See also Per-user web directories tutorial Available Languages: en fr ja ko tr Copyright 2026 The Apache Software Foundation. Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 Modules Directives FAQ Glossary