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Method 1: Via apache2.conf (or httpd.conf):

<Directory "/var/www/html">
  Options Indexes FollowSymLinks -MultiViews
  AllowOverrides None
  Order allow,deny
  Allow from all

Method 2: Chmod in the command-line.

Doesn't both these methods accomplish the same thing?

And another Q if you can answer it, what permissions is the var and www folder usually set to?


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1 Answer 1

up vote 2 down vote accepted

Method 2 set permission on file system level, so not only for Apache. This is the secure way to set permission on a file.

Method 1 set permission on application layer but Method 2 also apply. If your content can't be read by Apache, then even if Method 1 tells that the client can read the file it will not be able to do it.

So the quick answer is No.
Method 2 will be used to ensure that Apache can read your php file but other users/process can't. Method 1 will be used to protect page access with a password, etc...

I see you set the PHP tag, take care that Method 1 will never affect what a PHP could read or write. Method 2 as well as PHP configuration will do it.

/var is 755 root/root on my system, www will highly depend on your apache configuration and security you need.

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