How to Return 404 for Specific URL Using Apache Location Directive Without mod_rewrite


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Apache's Location directive provides a clean way to handle specific URLs without involving rewrite rules or additional modules. Here's the most straightforward solution:


    Redirect 404 /

For more control over the response, combine Deny with custom error handling:


    Require all denied
    ErrorDocument 403 /errors/404.html

When dealing with multiple paths, use LocationMatch with regex patterns:


    Redirect 404 /

The Location directive is processed early in Apache's request cycle, making it more efficient than rewrite rules for simple denial cases. However, ensure you're not overusing this pattern for large numbers of URLs.

Here's a complete virtual host configuration that blocks specific API endpoints:


    ServerName example.com
    
    
        Redirect 404 /
    
    
    
        Require all denied
        ErrorDocument 403 "This resource no longer exists"
  • Always test with curl -I to verify response codes
  • Check Apache error logs if the directive isn't working
  • Remember to reload Apache after configuration changes

When managing web servers, there are legitimate cases where you need to explicitly return a 404 (Not Found) status for specific URLs. This might be for:

  • Deprecated API endpoints
  • Temporary disabled features
  • Security through obscurity
  • Preventing crawlers from indexing certain paths

The simplest way without involving mod_rewrite is using the SetHandler directive with none:

<Location "/some/url">
    SetHandler none
    Require all denied
</Location>

Using ErrorDocument

<Location "/legacy-api">
    ErrorDocument 404 "This resource no longer exists"
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteRule .* - [R=404,L]
</Location>

With mod_alias

Alias /nonexistent /dev/null
<Location "/nonexistent">
    Require all denied
</Location>

The SetHandler none approach is most efficient because:

  • No module dependencies
  • Minimal configuration
  • Handled early in request processing

After implementing, verify with curl:

curl -I https://yourdomain.com/some/url

Should return:

HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found