Because this file contains sensitive data (like database passwords and API keys), it must never be accessible directly via a web browser. Place it outside your web root (public_html or www) whenever possible.
If you must keep it inside the web root, protect it with .htaccess (Apache) or location rules (Nginx) to deny all HTTP access. config.php
In traditional config.php files, credentials are hardcoded in plain text inside the file. While the file itself may be protected from web access, it still lives on the server's disk. Anyone with server access (or a compromised backup) can read it. Because this file contains sensitive data (like database
Modern PHP development (especially with frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, or Laminas) has largely moved toward environment variables using a .env file. If you must keep it inside the web root, protect it with
Let’s address the elephant in the room. The single most dangerous mistake beginner developers make is placing config.php inside the web root (e.g., public_html, www, or htdocs).
A typical config.php file consists of a series of key-value pairs, defining configuration settings for the application. These settings may include:
Here's an example of a basic config.php file:
<?php
/**
* Configuration file for My Application
*/
// Database connection settings
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
define('DB_USERNAME', 'myuser');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'mypassword');
define('DB_NAME', 'mydatabase');
// Error handling settings
define('ERROR_REPORTING', E_ALL);
define('LOG_FILE', 'error.log');
// Security settings
define('ENCRYPTION_KEY', 'mysecretkey');
define('SALT_VALUE', 'mysaltvalue');