A web app alias is a feature in RunCloud that allows you to create a new web app that points to the same content as an existing web app.

This allows you to use different settings and configurations for the same web app without cloning or renaming it.

Cloning is different from creating a web app alias because cloning copies the web app to a new location and creates a separate root folder for it.

A web app alias, on the other hand, shares the same root folder as the original web app – but has its own NGINX config and web app settings.

Some real-world scenarios in which you can use a web app alias include:

  • If you want to quickly test your Laravel web app with a different PHP version, you can create a web app alias and change the PHP setting for the alias without affecting the original web app.
  • If you want to use custom domains for your SaaS/WaaS site, you can add them as web app aliases instead of domain names. This is a workaround that some users employed before the Advanced SSL feature was released.
  • If you want to create a multi-tenancy web app in one root directory, you can use web app aliases to manage different tenants.

Creating a Web App Alias

To create an alias of your web application, go to the RunCloud dashboard and navigate to the “Tools” menu of the web app. On that screen, click on the “Create Web App Alias” to start the process.

On the next screen, you need to specify the name of your web application and provide your domain name. You also have the option to configure other settings such as the PHP version and server configuration.

Once you have made all of the changes, click on “Create” to create a new application.

After you have created the alias, you can see it under the web applications menu. The @ icon next to its name suggests that it is an alias of another application.

Deleting an Alias

If you no longer need an alias, you can safely delete it from the RunCloud dashboard. Deleting the alias will not remove your original application.