Laravel 5 on Shared Hosting - Wrong Public Path

Introduction

This article aims to address the issue of the wrong public path when deploying a Laravel 5 application on shared hosting. Shared hosting environments often have specific requirements and limitations, which can cause the default public path configuration of Laravel to fail. In this article, we will explore the problem and provide a solution for setting the correct public path.

Problem

When deploying a Laravel 5 application on shared hosting, the default configuration assumes that the public folder is the web root. However, shared hosting providers may have different directory structures and restrictions, causing the public path to be incorrect. This can lead to various issues, such as missing assets or routes not working properly.

Solution

To resolve the wrong public path issue on shared hosting, you need to modify the index.php file in the public folder. Follow these steps:

1. Open the index.php file located in the public folder of your Laravel 5 application.

2. Look for the following code block:

require __DIR__.'/../bootstrap/autoload.php';

$app = require_once __DIR__.'/../bootstrap/app.php';

3. Replace the above code block with the following code:

require __DIR__.'/relative/path/to/bootstrap/autoload.php';

$app = require_once __DIR__.'/relative/path/to/bootstrap/app.php';

Replace relative/path/to with the correct relative path from the index.php file to the bootstrap folder which contains autoload.php and app.php.

4. Save the index.php file.

By modifying the path to the bootstrap folder, you ensure that Laravel can locate the necessary files even if the public folder is not the web root. This resolves the wrong public path issue on shared hosting.

Conclusion

When deploying a Laravel 5 application on shared hosting, it is common to encounter the wrong public path issue. By following the steps outlined in this article and modifying the index.php file, you can ensure that the correct path to the bootstrap folder is set, resolving any issues with the public path.