PHP: How to prevent direct access to JavaScript files?

Question

I have seen that some web sites have a PHP script to redirect the user to another web page if they try to access JavaScript files directly. How is that done?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, as the previous answers have stated, you can't prevent one from seeing the contents of a JS file; if you could do that, how is the browser supposed to parse it?

The next best thing to do is to "Obfuscate" it using something like http://www.javascriptobfuscator.com/default.aspx

This will convert your human-readable code into a bunch of character codes and obscure function names. The Obfuscator I linked to generates a unique ID and bases its encryption on that ID, making it harder to decrypt.

However, this isn't fool-proof, and someone who really wants to get at your JS, for whatever reason, will do it. Anything you really don't want users to have access too should be done server-side. ;)

Answer 2

No, that's not possible.

There are plenty of ways how to get JS files. Nothing helps in protection.

Answer 3

Javascript is meant to be client side. That means it always gets executed on the browser which is local and thus can not be hidden.