---
title: Document Root
description: The public folder where the web server looks for your site index — often public_html. Wrong root means uploads still 404.
canonical: https://penasihathosting.com/en/hosting-wiki/document-root
type: wiki
locale: en
updated: 2026-07-15
author: Willya Randika
---

# Document Root

## Overview

- **Summary:** The public folder where the web server looks for your site index — often public_html. Wrong root means uploads still 404.
- **Author:** Willya Randika ([profile](/penulis/willya-randika))

## Article

**Document root** (also web root or `public_html`) is the server folder that is the **starting point for a domain’s public files**. When someone visits `example.com`, the web server looks for `index.php` or `index.html` there — not in a random home directory folder.

Understanding the root prevents the classic moment: “I uploaded the files but the site still 404s.” Usually the files landed in the wrong folder.

## A Simple Analogy

If the hosting account is a house, the document root is the **front room visible from the street**. Storage rooms can exist elsewhere for private data, but guests do not automatically see them via a URL. Leaving secrets in the front room is the same as leaving them in a downloadable web root.

## Common cPanel Patterns

| Domain | Typical document root |
| --- | --- |
| Primary domain | `public_html/` |
| [Addon domain](/en/hosting-wiki/addon-domains) | `public_html/domain/` or similar |
| [Subdomain](/en/hosting-wiki/subdomain) | `public_html/sub/` or a path you choose |

Modern frameworks (Laravel and others) often point the root at a `public/` subfolder so application code is not directly exposed.

## How DNS and SSL Fit In

Document root is about files on disk. [DNS](/en/hosting-wiki/dns-domain-name-system) only points the hostname at the right machine. Both must match: DNS to server A while files sit on server B yields empty sites or default pages. [SSL](/en/hosting-wiki/ssl-tls) certificates are issued per hostname, not “once for every folder.”

## What to Watch For

- Uploading a theme into the **wrong root** yields blank sites or the wrong brand  
- Do not store secrets or sensitive backups inside a downloadable web root  
- [FTP/SFTP](/en/hosting-wiki/ftp-sftp) paths must match the vhost document root  
- After migrations, align CMS URLs with the real root  
- Permissions that are too open or too tight both cause errors  

## FAQ

<Accordion>
  <AccordionItem title="Can I change the document root?">
    Often yes in modern Domains UIs. Keep DNS and SSL aimed at the same hostname.
  </AccordionItem>
  <AccordionItem title="public_html vs www?">
    On many hosts `www` is a symlink or alias to `public_html`. Confirm in File Manager before editing.
  </AccordionItem>
  <AccordionItem title="Why 403/404 after upload?">
    Files may sit in the home directory instead of that domain’s document root. Match paths to the domain settings.
  </AccordionItem>
  <AccordionItem title="Where is wp-config.php?">
    Usually in the WordPress document root or one level above `public` in custom setups. Never expose that file on a public URL.
  </AccordionItem>
</Accordion>