Find the Document Root of your Website

The document root of your website is defined as the folder which stores and serves the files for the website.

You can Use cPanel to locate the Document Root for your domain name/website by following the steps below.

In this Guide:
→ How do I know what Folder or Directory to upload my files to?
→ Use cPanel to Locate Document Root
→ What is a Main or Primary Domain?
→ What is an Add-On Domain?
→ What is a SubDomain?

How do I know what Folder or Directory to upload my files to?

The specific directory you will upload your files to will depend on whether you are working with the primary domain, an addon domain, or a subdomain.

The directory where you upload your files is referred to as the ‘document root‘ for a domain, subdomain or addon domain. You can use cPanel to locate the document root for your domain.

Use cPanel to Locate Document Root

You can view the document root for your domains in cPanel:
1. Log into cPanel
2. Once logged in click on the ‘Domains‘ icon

3. View the List of Domains and Their Document Roots.
4. The Document Root column displays the filepath in File Manager where you should upload your files for that domain.

5. Click on the link underneath the ‘document root ‘ column to be jumped into that location inside of File Manager where you can then upload your files.

Once you’ve memorized the file path, you can use File Manager any time to view your directories and browse manually to the document root of the website you wish to upload files for, without returning to the domains tab.

What is a Main or Primary Domain?

This is the Primary Domain of your cPanel Account.
→ See How to Locate my Primary Domain

What is an Addon Domain?

An Addon Domain is an additional domain name separate from the primary domain name. Addon domains are just how cPanel categorizes additional domain names that aren’t the primary domain.

What is a SubDomain?

A Subdomain is a subset of a regular domain such as: my.domain.com whereas the main, or primary domain would be domain.com.

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