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.How do I install Shopware 6 on a subfolder or subdomain the right way?

SB
Written by StageBit Engineering Team
Updated May 2026 0 min readVerified by engineers

Quick Answer

You can install Shopware 6 on both a subfolder and a subdomain, but the setup is slightly different for each. The biggest mistakes usually happen around document roots, APP_URL configuration, and web server rewrites. The steps below cover the cleanest setup method for Apache and Nginx without breaking admin access, media URLs, or SEO.

Before You Start

  • ✦ SSH or hosting access — you’ll need access to your web server config and Shopware files.
  • ✦ A working Shopware installation package — Composer-based installs are easier to maintain long-term.
  • ✦ Correct DNS records — subdomains must already point to the server before SSL setup.
1

Choose the installation structure

Decide early whether the store belongs in a subfolder or a subdomain because changing it later usually means URL redirects, media path updates, and cache cleanup. A subdomain like store.example.com is cleaner for separate storefronts, staging environments, or regional stores. A subfolder like example.com/store works better when the shop is part of an existing website.

  • Use a subdomain for isolated Shopware deployments
  • Use a subfolder only if your main site already exists
PRO TIP Most agencies prefer subdomains because deployments and SSL handling are simpler.
2

Point the web root correctly

Shopware must serve traffic from the /public directory. This is the part most hosting setups get wrong. If your document root points to the project root instead, assets, admin login, and storefront routes can fail randomly. On subfolder installs, your virtual host or rewrite rules also need to respect the folder path.

  • Set the document root to /public
  • Verify Apache or Nginx rewrites are enabled
DocumentRoot /var/www/shopware/public
IMPORTANT If the document root is wrong, Shopware may expose sensitive project files.
3

Configure the APP_URL

Shopware generates storefront URLs, media links, and API endpoints from the APP_URL value inside the .env file. If this URL is wrong, the admin panel may redirect incorrectly or storefront assets may load from the wrong path. Subfolder installs must include the folder name directly in the URL.

  • Use full HTTPS URLs whenever possible
  • Include the subfolder path if using one
APP_URL=https://example.com/store
COMMON MISTAKE Developers often forget to update APP_URL after moving from staging to production.
4

Install SSL and redirects

SSL should be active before you launch the storefront publicly. Shopware handles secure URLs correctly once HTTPS is enabled, but mixed-content warnings can still appear if old HTTP media paths are cached. Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS immediately to avoid duplicate URL versions getting indexed.

  • Install an SSL certificate for the domain or subdomain
  • Force HTTPS redirects at the server level
PRO TIP Free Let’s Encrypt certificates are enough for most Shopware stores.
5

Clear caches and test routes

After installation, clear Shopware caches and test both storefront and admin URLs carefully. Subfolder installs sometimes break media thumbnails or admin assets because of incorrect rewrite paths. Test product pages, login pages, and media uploads before going live. This catches most routing problems early.

  • Run cache clear commands after config changes
  • Test media, checkout, and admin access
php bin/console cache:clear
IMPORTANT Cached old URLs can make a working setup look broken after migration or DNS changes.

Shopware Installation Checklist

0 of 6 complete

Mistakes Most Developers Make

! Wrong document root

What happens: Storefront assets fail or sensitive files become accessible publicly.

Fix: Always point the web root directly to the /public directory.

! Incorrect APP_URL value

What happens: Admin redirects and media links start loading from the wrong URL.

Fix: Update APP_URL immediately after every domain or folder change.

! Forgetting HTTPS redirects

What happens: Search engines index duplicate HTTP and HTTPS versions of the store.

Fix: Force HTTPS at the web server level before launch.

Key Takeaway

The short version: Shopware 6 works well on both subfolders and subdomains if the server configuration is correct from the start. The biggest setup issues come from incorrect document roots, broken rewrite rules, and APP_URL mismatches. Always point traffic to the /public directory, configure HTTPS early, and clear caches after every major URL change. Subdomains are usually easier to maintain long-term for scaling and deployments. Start with Step 2—that one alone handles most of it.

Related Answers

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