Running software alongside your main site.
WHEN THIS APPLIES
A forum at yourdomain.com/forum A shop at yourdomain.com/shop A learning platform at yourdomain.com/courses Documentation at yourdomain.com/docs
HOW
In Softaculous, enter the directory name in the "In Directory" field. It will be created.
Manually, create the directory under public_html and install there.
THE ALTERNATIVE
A subdomain: forum.yourdomain.com, created in cPanel > Domains.
CHOOSING BETWEEN THEM
A subdirectory shares the domain's search authority and cookies, which suits content that is genuinely part of the same site.
A subdomain separates them cleanly, which suits an application distinct from the main site.
WHAT TO WATCH
Rewrite rules can conflict. The main site's .htaccess may intercept requests intended for the subdirectory. Most applications handle this; check after installing.
Two applications in the same directory tree each writing .htaccess can overwrite each other.
RUN AUTOSSL
For a subdomain, it needs its own certificate coverage.
