Knowledge Base
How www and non-www Versions Work
Understanding www vs non-www
www.example.com and example.com can be the same or different.
Are They the Same?
Technically, they're different addresses. Your server configuration determines if they show the same content.
Hostdeal Default
By default, both versions work and show your website. This is handled automatically.
Choosing One (Recommended)
For SEO, choose one as your "canonical" version:
Redirect www to non-www
Add to .htaccess:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www.(.*)$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%1/$1 [R=301,L]
Redirect non-www to www
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www. [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.%{HTTP_HOST}/$1 [R=301,L]
Why It Matters
- Consistent branding
- Better SEO (avoid duplicate content)
- Cleaner analytics
SSL Considerations
Make sure your SSL certificate covers both versions (Let's Encrypt does this automatically).
Recommendation
Non-www (example.com) is shorter and becoming more common. Either is fine - just be consistent.