Use .htaccess to remove file extensions but also allow set a homepage

Question

I am having a problem using the .htaccess file. I have created the file and set it up so that I don't have to type file extensions in the URL. Unfortunately, this has created a new problem. I used to be able to type localhost/project and it would display index.php. But now if I type localhost/project it displays a Server Error 500. Does anyone know how I can solve this error?

.htaccess file:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteRule ^([^/]+)/$ $1.php
RewriteRule ^([^/]+)/([^/]+)/$ /$1/$2.php
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.[a-zA-Z0-9]{1,5}|/)$
RewriteRule (.*)$ /$1/ [R=301,L]

Answer 1

You need to also check the !-d with the request filename, may as well add all the right conditions:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^([^/]+)/$ $1.php [L]

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^([^/]+)/([^/]+)/$ /$1/$2.php [L]

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.[a-zA-Z0-9]{1,5}|/)$
RewriteRule (.*)$ /$1/ [R=301,L]

The problem is that /project is a directory, and mod_dir automatically redirects that to /project/ , and that matches the first rule, so it turns to /project.php , which isn't a file.