Apache module precedence

module precedence

[dfresh4130]

I've been asked to work on shortening our URLs for SEO optimization. Our site uses Adobe CQ for content and localization purposes and we have that configured using SetHandler for / like below.

 
<Directory />
 <IfModule disp_apache2.c>
 SetHandler dispatcher-handler
 ModMimeUsePathInfo On
 </IfModule>
 Options FollowSymLinks +Includes
 AllowOverride None
 </Directory>

We also use a lot of rewrite rules. Is there a way to tell if the dispatcher or rewrite modules takes precedence?

[lucy24]

Is it your own server? Presumably yes, if you've got <Directory> sections. (But if so, why the <IfModule envelope? Either you've got it or you haven't.) Usually-but-not-always, mods execute in the opposite order of loading. In practice, you can often assume reverse alphabetical order, so mod_rewrite happens very early while mod_authzthingummy is at or near the end. Sometimes it's faster just to experiment: make up a pair of rules that will have different consequences depending on which mod a request meets first, and see what happens.

Options FollowSymLinks +Includes

Don't the Apache docs say something severe and frightening about combining with-and-without + statements in an Options line?
:: detour to check both 2.2 and 2.4 ::
Yup, in 2.2 it's the dreaded "likely to produce unexpected results" while in 2.4 the server simply won't start. (Or did they mean "the whole line will be ignored"? Either way, not desirable.) Can we stipulate that it was a typo?

[dfresh4130]

Thanks for the info. The configs in question for the mixing of statements with and without +/- symbols is correct. I know it's bad, but this is the config I inherited and I'm not allowed to make changes unless I can prove they're necessary. This config has been in place for a long time before I joined this company.