What file displays when someone browses to my domain name?
When a visitor types your domain name in to their browser they are automatically directed to your website's default file. For example, to go to Google, you type google.com. It doesn't show up in your browser, but you're actually looking at the index.html page. Try it yourself, type google.com/index.html in your browser.
You might have guessed, index.html file is a default file. If it's the only default file in the root directory, it automatically displays when someone goes to your domain name.
If you have more than one default file in a directory, the server decides which one takes priority, and then displays that file. Understanding the order the files are served is key to making sure the correct page displays on your website.
Default File Names and Order of Precedence - Windows
This is the order of precedence for the default files on your Windows® hosting account:
- default.asp
- default.html
- default.htm
- default.aspx
- default.php
- default.shtml
- default.shtm
- index.html
- index.htm
- index.asp
- index.php
- index.shtml
- index.shtm
- home.html
- home.htm
- home.shtml
- home.shtm
- welcome.html
- welcome.asp
NOTE: On Windows IIS7 ColdFusion accounts, in addition to the standard set of Windows default files, the following files are configured. These files have precedence over the standard set of Windows default files. The files are listed in precedence order.
- default.cfm
- default.cfml
- index.cfm
- index.cfml
- home.cfm
- home.cfml
- welcome.cfm
- welcome.cfml
Default File Names and Order of Precedence - Linux
This is the order of precedence for the default files on your Linux Standard account:
- default.html
- default.htm
- index.php
- index.shtml
- index.html
- index.htm
- home.html
- home.htm
- index.php5
NOTE: If you have ColdFusion enabled, index.cfm and default.cfm take priority 10 and 11, respectively. If you have Java enabled, index.jsp takes priority 10.
- welcome.html
- welcome.htm
