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Apache, LiteSpeed and Nginx

Short answer: Apache and LiteSpeed read .htaccess files, so GrabWP can write path routing rules automatically. Nginx does not use .htaccess files, so you must add routing rules and any Pro domain symlink rules to your Nginx server block manually. Needs: Free

What it is​

Your web server passes incoming visitor requests to WordPress so GrabWP can identify the site by domain or by URL path (/{prefix}/{tenant}/).

Web server.htaccess supportPath routing setupPro Domain Symlink (Clean URLs) rule location
ApacheYes (requires mod_rewrite)Automatic in root .htaccess between # BEGIN GrabWP Tenancy and # END GrabWP Tenancywp-content/uploads/.htaccess
LiteSpeedYes (requires mod_rewrite)Automatic in root .htaccess between # BEGIN GrabWP Tenancy and # END GrabWP Tenancywp-content/uploads/.htaccess
NginxNoManual server block rule requiredManual location ^~ /wp-content/ block in the Nginx server block

Why it matters​

  • On Apache or LiteSpeed, if the # BEGIN GrabWP Tenancy block in the root .htaccess file is missing or appears after # BEGIN WordPress, wp-admin shows Root .htaccess needs to be updated for tenant routing.
  • OpenLiteSpeed (used by the LiteSpeed stack on xCloud) runs .htaccess rules only once per request. Since Base 1.1.15, GrabWP routes path site pages, REST and feeds in one rewrite pass, so they work there too. A block written by an older version shows ⚠ Invalid content on 3. Root .htaccess Rewrite Rules until you click Auto Fix.
  • On Apache without mod_rewrite, the mod_rewrite row in System Information on Tenancy > Status notes Path routing requires mod_rewrite. Query string routing (?site=id) will be used as fallback.
  • On Nginx, the Web Server row in System Information notes .htaccess files are not used by Nginx. Configure tenant routing in your server block instead. Without manual Nginx rules, path URLs such as /site/abc123 return a 404 page.

How to check​

  1. Open Tenancy > Status in wp-admin, open System Information on the Plugin General tab and read the Web Server row.
  2. On Apache or LiteSpeed, check the mod_rewrite row and the 3. Root .htaccess Rewrite Rules card.
  3. If you enable Domain Symlink (Clean URLs) in Pro, open Tenancy > Pro Settings > Symlink and expand Required server rules to copy the exact snippet for your server.

What to do​

  • If you see Root .htaccess needs to be updated for tenant routing. on Apache or LiteSpeed, open Tenancy > Status and run the fix action or place the # BEGIN GrabWP Tenancy block above # BEGIN WordPress.
  • If you run Nginx, add the site routing rules to your Nginx server block as shown in Site addresses, domains and DNS.
  • If you enable Domain Symlink (Clean URLs) under Tenancy > Pro Settings > Symlink, copy the Nginx or LiteSpeed/Apache rule shown under Required server rules and reload your web server.

Limits and versions​

  • Verified against Base 1.1.15 and Pro 1.1.18.
  • Beginning in Base 1.1.9, GrabWP locks shared root files (wp-config.php, .htaccess, .user.ini, web.config) to read-only (0444) by default so site plugins cannot overwrite them; use Tenancy > Status to unlock shared files temporarily if a main-site plugin needs to edit .htaccess.
  • The lock is a separate setting from the integrity guard. On write requests from client sites, the guard restores only GrabWP's own pieces (the wp-config.php loader and HTTPS proxy blocks, the GrabWP .htaccess block, the MU-plugin and the data folder protection files) and keeps all other wp-config.php and .htaccess edits. If a file is invalid or truncated and cannot be repaired safely, GrabWP does not replace the whole file; it keeps its protected recovery snapshot and reports the issue on Tenancy > Status and in the debug log. Turn protection off from Tenancy > Status before you remove a GrabWP block on purpose. See Install GrabWP.