CodeIgniter app redirect issue on OpenLiteSpeed server

General
1

I’ve installed a CodeIgniter app on an OpenLiteSpeed server, and although the script installation went smoothly, there appears to be a problem with the .htaccess redirects.

Pages only seem to work when adding “index.php” at the beginning of the URL, such as https://app.example.com/index.php/admin. If I visit https://app.example.com/admin, the site breaks.

The contents of my .htaccess file is as follows:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On

    # RewriteBase could be necessary depending on your server setup
    # RewriteBase /

    # Add this to handle requests to your CodeIgniter front controller
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/(index\.php|assets|robots\.txt|favicon.ico)
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php/$1 [L,QSA]

    # Existing rules
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
    RewriteRule !.(js|css|eot|svg|ttf|woff|woff2|map)$ index.php [L]
    RewriteCond $1 !^(index\.php|assets)
    RewriteCond %{HTTP:Authorization} ^(.*)
    RewriteRule .* - [e=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%1]

    # Redirect requests for favicon.ico to the actual file
    Redirect 301 /favicon.ico /assets/images/favicon.ico

    # Deny access to .env file
    <Files .env>
        Order allow,deny
        Deny from all
    </Files>
</IfModule>

Any help would be appreciated.

I tried editing the .htaccess file inline with any documentation I could find online pertaining to OpenLiteSpeed and redirects, but have had no joy so far.

2

The issue is not with your .htaccess file — it’s that OpenLiteSpeed does not support .htaccess files the same way Apache does.

Straight answer:

OpenLiteSpeed ignores most Apache-style .htaccess rules unless they are explicitly converted into the server’s admin configuration. That’s why index.php is required — your rewrites aren’t being applied.

How to fix it:

Step 1: Login to OpenLiteSpeed Admin Panel

  • Usually available at: http://your-server-ip:7080
  • Login with your admin credentials

Step 2: Go to Virtual Hosts > [Your Virtual Host] > Rewrite

  • Click on your virtual host name (e.g. Example)
  • Go to the “Rewrite” tab

Step 3: Enable Rewrite Rules

Set the following:

  • Enable Rewrite: Yes
  • Auto Load from .htaccess: Yes

If it’s already set, the next step is critical.

Step 4: Add your rewrite rules to “Rewrite Rules” section

Copy this into the Rewrite Rules text box:

RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/(index\.php|assets|robots\.txt|favicon.ico)
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php/$1 [L,QSA]

This is the minimal and correct rule for CodeIgniter 4 front-controller routing.

Step 5: Restart OpenLiteSpeed

After saving, restart OpenLiteSpeed:

  • Go to Actions > Graceful Restart or restart from CLI:
sudo systemctl restart lsws

Optional: Update app.baseURL

Make sure your app/Config/App.php or .env file has:

app.baseURL = 'https://app.example.com/'

Summary:

  • OpenLiteSpeed does not fully honor .htaccess — you must configure rewrite rules in its admin panel
  • Add your CodeIgniter rewrite rules under Virtual Hosts > Rewrite Rules
  • Restart server after changes

Let me know if you need exact UI navigation for your hosting control panel or if you’re using CyberPanel (which runs on OpenLiteSpeed).