> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.bearsampp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Bearsampp Directory Structure Explained
> A guided tour of every folder inside your Bearsampp installation — what each one contains, what you should edit, and what Bearsampp manages for you.
Bearsampp is fully self-contained: everything it needs — binaries, configuration, logs, SSL certificates, and your project files — lives inside a single root folder. You can place that folder anywhere on your machine or on a USB drive, and the entire stack moves with it. The structure below reflects the layout you see after a fresh installation.
```
bearsampp/
├── alias/
├── apps/
├── bin/
├── core/
├── logs/
├── ssl/
├── tmp/
├── tools/
├── vhosts/
├── www/
├── bearsampp.conf ← main settings file
└── bearsampp.ini ← module versions and ports
```
## Folder reference
Your web project files. Everything here is served by Apache at `http://localhost/`.
Service binaries — Apache, PHP, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Node.js, Memcached, Mailpit, and Xlight.
Command-line tools — Git, Composer, Ngrok, Python, Ruby, Perl, PowerShell, Ghostscript, and Bruno.
Web applications — phpMyAdmin and phpPgAdmin — served by Apache.
Log files for Bearsampp itself and for each running service.
Apache alias configuration files, one per alias you create through the tray menu.
Apache virtual host configuration files, one per virtual host you create through the tray menu.
SSL certificate files and the OpenSSL configuration (`openssl.cnf`).
Bearsampp's internal engine — PHP classes, language files, and supporting assets. Do not modify.
Temporary files created during operation. Bearsampp clears this folder on startup.
## Where to put your project files
Drop your project files into `bearsampp/www/`. Each subfolder becomes a URL path automatically:
```
www/
myproject/ → http://localhost/myproject/
anotherapp/ → http://localhost/anotherapp/
index.php → http://localhost/
```
For projects that need a custom domain (like `myproject.local`), use a virtual host instead. See the [Virtual Hosts guide](/configuration/virtual-hosts) for step-by-step instructions.
## Inside the bin/ folder
Each binary module has its own subfolder under `bin/`, and within it a separate folder per installed version. A `current` symlink always points to the active version:
```
bin/
apache/
apache2.4.58/
current -> apache2.4.58/
php/
php8.1.0/
php8.2.0/
current -> php8.2.0/
mysql/
mysql8.0.35/
current -> mysql8.0.35/
```
Bearsampp manages these symlinks automatically when you switch versions from the tray menu.
## Alias and virtual host config files
The `alias/` and `vhosts/` folders contain Apache `.conf` files that Bearsampp generates and maintains for you. You should not edit these files manually — instead, use the tray menu actions **Add an alias** and **Add a virtual host**, which write the correct configuration and reload Apache for you.
If you do need to customise a generated file, use the **Edit** option from the alias or virtual host submenu in the tray menu, which opens the file in your default text editor.
## Log files
The `logs/` folder collects logs from all components:
| File | Contents |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- |
| `bearsampp.log` | General Bearsampp activity log |
| `bearsampp-error.log` | PHP and application errors |
| `bearsampp-services.log` | Service start, stop, and install events |
| `bearsampp-startup.log` | Events recorded during Bearsampp startup |
| `bearsampp-batch.log` | Output from internal batch operations |
Individual service logs (Apache access/error, MySQL, etc.) are written into subfolders inside `logs/` or inside each module's versioned folder.
## Configuration files
The root folder contains Bearsampp's own settings files:
* `bearsampp.conf` — the main settings file. Stores your language, timezone, hostname, logging verbosity, startup behavior, and other global options. Bearsampp updates this file automatically when you change settings from the tray menu.
* `bearsampp.ini` — stores active module versions and port assignments. Bearsampp rewrites this file whenever you switch versions or change ports.
Avoid hand-editing these files while Bearsampp is running. Use the tray menu to change settings so Bearsampp can update all dependent configuration files correctly. If `bearsampp.ini` becomes corrupted, use **Rebuild bearsampp.ini** from the tray menu to regenerate it.