Title: Apache “Rewrite Engine”
Last modified: August 18, 2016

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# Apache “Rewrite Engine”

 *  Resolved [mrmick](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mrmick/)
 * (@mrmick)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/)
 * Hi!
 * My host emailed me that he supports the Apache “Rewrite Engine” instead of “mod_rewrite”.
   Might this be a problem by installing wordpress? Do I have to expect any disadvantages?
 * Thanks,
    Mick

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

 *  [Ryan Duff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ryanduff/)
 * (@ryanduff)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/#post-242316)
 * AFAIK, they’re the same. Did you [google “apache rewrite engine”](http://www.google.com/search?q=apache+rewrite+engine)?
 * I hope your host knows what he’s talking about because with an answer like that,
   you might want to find someone better.
 * 
 *  [Jon Dingman](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jdingman/)
 * (@jdingman)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/#post-242324)
 * You shouldn’t have any problems. Usually WordPress will declare
 * RewriteEngine on
 * in the first part of the .htaccess file. I would expect that you will no problems,
   but it’s still possible that you might.
 *  [Ryan Duff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ryanduff/)
 * (@ryanduff)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/#post-242328)
 * In follow up, here is the apache page, bad link before:
 * [mod_rewrite / rewrite engine](http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/mod/mod_rewrite.html)
 * WordPress also uses an if statement so if mod_rewrite.c doesn’t exist, it will
   just ignore the rewrite rules.
 * `<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>`
 *  Thread Starter [mrmick](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mrmick/)
 * (@mrmick)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/#post-242476)
 * Thank you all for the answers!
    My wordpress-installation seems to work, I recognized
   no problems so far. But I still don’t understand what the rewrite-option is good
   for and why wordpress recommends the module although it’s not necessary. Any 
   ideas?
 * Thanks,
    Mick
 *  Thread Starter [mrmick](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mrmick/)
 * (@mrmick)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/#post-242479)
 * Sorry, I read the mail from my host again, and I understood it wrong the first
   time.
 * He is using the rewrite engine for webserver redirection. That’s the reason
   why I cannot use the module.
 * Does wordpress has any disadvantages without using the module?
 * Mick
 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/#post-242485)
 * > Does wordpress has any disadvantages without using the module?
 * Yes and no. WordPress requires mod_rewrite to enable [permalinks](http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Permalinks),
   but permalinks are not required. What permalinks do is they provide “prettier”
   links for your posts and they help with search engine optimization. See: [http://codex.wordpress.org/Search_Engine_Optimization_for_Wordpress#Permalinks](http://codex.wordpress.org/Search_Engine_Optimization_for_Wordpress#Permalinks)
 * If you were to ask my recommendation, I would say that you should find another
   hosting provider. mod_rewrite is a standard feature that is offered by most hosting
   providers.
 *  [viper007bond](https://wordpress.org/support/users/viper007bond/)
 * (@viper007bond)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/#post-242498)
 * > He is using the rewrite engine for webserver redirection.
 * I smell a cheap / crappy host. They are pointing domains onto an account of their
   own it sounds like.
 *  Thread Starter [mrmick](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mrmick/)
 * (@mrmick)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/#post-242500)
 * Hi,
 * thanks so much! This helps a lot. Now I begin to understand better what the rewrite
   engine does.
 * Best,
    Mick

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

The topic ‘Apache “Rewrite Engine”’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [apache](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/apache/)
 * [installation](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/installation/)
 * [mod_rewrite](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/mod_rewrite/)

 * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/)
 * 8 replies
 * 5 participants
 * Last reply from: [mrmick](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mrmick/)
 * Last activity: [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/apache-rewrite-engine/#post-242500)
 * Status: resolved

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