www/ directory. For example, you can make http://localhost/myalias/ serve files from D:\projects\myapp\ — useful for projects you keep outside the Bearsampp directory tree.
Aliases vs. virtual hosts
| Aliases | Virtual hosts | |
|---|---|---|
| URL format | http://localhost/myalias/ | http://myapp.local/ |
| Hosts file change needed | No | Yes |
| SSL certificate | No (uses localhost) | Yes (auto-generated) |
| Best for | Quickly exposing a folder under localhost | Separate domain per project |
localhost. Use virtual hosts when you need a realistic separate domain. See Virtual Hosts for the latter.
How to add an alias
Right-click the Bearsampp tray icon
Find the Bearsampp icon in your Windows system tray and right-click it.
Enter the alias name
In the Name field, type the alias name you want to use. This becomes the URL path segment — for example, entering
myalias makes the alias available at http://localhost/myalias/.The name must be alphanumeric (letters and numbers only, no spaces, hyphens, or dots).Set the destination folder
Click Browse next to the Destination field and select the folder you want the alias to point to.
What Bearsampp creates
When you save an alias, Bearsampp creates a configuration file at:Alias directive pointing http://localhost/myalias/ to the folder you selected. Apache is restarted automatically to load the new alias.
Accessing your alias
After saving, open your browser and navigate to:myalias with the name you chose. No hosts file changes are needed — aliases work under localhost without any additional configuration.
Edit an alias
Click Edit [aliasname]
In the Aliases submenu, click the alias you want to edit. The edit dialog opens, pre-filled with the current name and destination.
Delete an alias
Deleting an alias only removes the Apache configuration file. The destination folder and its contents are not affected.