cPanel Directory Structure#

In this article we will provide you an outline of the overall structure of cPanel utilities, locations of configuration files, and descriptions of frequently used cPanel scripts.

This information is current as of cPanel version 11.40.1

Apache – /usr/local/apache#

• bin- apache binaries are stored here: httpd, apachectl, apxs
• conf – configuration files – httpd.conf: php.conf
• cgi-bin
• domlogs – domain access and stat log files for all domains is stored here
• htdocs – default apache DocumentRoot location
• include – header files
• libexec – shared object (.so) files are stored here:  libphp4.so,mod_rewrite.so
• logs – apache logs: access_log, error_log, suexec_log
• man – apache manual pages
• icons – icon/jpg/gif images
• modules – shared object (.so) files are store here: Apache-2.x+
• Init Script :/etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd or /usr/local/apache/bin/apachectl: apache start script
• cPanel script to restart apache – /scripts/restartsrv_httpd
• /opt – Apache modules built here

Exim#

• Conf : /etc/exim.conf – exim main configuration file: Do not manually edit
• /etc/localdomains – list of domains allowed to relay/receive mail
• Log : /var/log/exim_mainlog – incoming/outgoing mail logs
• Log : /var/log/exim_rejectlog – exim rejected mails are reported here
• Log : /var/log/exim_paniclog – exim errors are logged here
• Mail queue: /var/spool/exim/input
• Cpanel script to restart exim – /scripts/restartsrv_exim
• Email forwarders and catchall address file – /etc/valiases/domainname.com
• Email filters file – /etc/vfilters/domainname.com
• POP user authentication file – /home/username/etc/domainname/passwd
• Catchall inbox – /home/username/mail/new
• POP user inbox – /home/username/mail/domainname/popusername/new
• POP user spambox – /home/username/mail/domainname/popusername/spam• Program : /usr/sbin/exim (suid – -rwsr-xr-x 1 root root )
• Init Script: /etc/rc.d/init.d/exim : /scripts/restartsrv_exim : service exim restart
• Check queue: exim -bpc

ProFTPD#

• Program :/usr/sbin/proftpd
• Init Script :/etc/rc.d/init.d/proftpd : /scripts/restartsrv_ftpserver
• Conf: /etc/proftpd.conf
• Log: /var/log/messages, /var/log/xferlog
• Accounts file – /etc/proftpd/$username (all ftp accounts are stored here)

Pure-FTPD#

• Program : /usr/sbin/pure-ftpd
• Init Script :/etc/rc.d/init.d/pure-ftpd : /scripts/restartsrv_ftpserver
• Conf: /etc/pure-ftpd.conf
• Accounts file: /etc/proftpd/$username (all ftp accounts are stored here)
• Anonymous ftp document root – /etc/pure-ftpd/ip-address

Frontpage Extensions#

• Program – (Install): /usr/local/frontpage/version5.0/bin/owsadm.exe
• Uninstall and then install for re-installations
• FP files are found as _vti-bin, _vti-pvt, _vti-cnf, vti-log inside the public_html
• /scripts/setupfp5 domain.com

Mysql#

• Program : /usr/sbin/mysqld :/usr/bin/mysqld_safe
• Init Script : /etc/rc.d/init.d/mysql : service mysql start/stop : /scripts/restartsrv_mysql
• Conf : /etc/my.cnf, /root/.my.cnf
• Data directory – /var/lib/mysql (location for all database storage)
• Database naming convention- username_dbname (eg: john_sales)(DBMapping)
• Log: Startup errors – /var/lib/mysql/hostname.tld.err
• Socket file – /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock, /tmp/mysql.sock

PostgreSQL#

• Program:
• Init Script:
• Conf: /var/lib/pgsql/data/postgresql.conf & pg_hba.conf
• Data Directory: /var/lib/pgsql/data
• Log: /var/lib/pgsql/

SSHD#

• Program :/usr/local/sbin/sshd
• Init Script :/etc/rc.d/init.d/sshd – /scripts/restartsrv_sshd – service sshd restart
• Conf: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
• Log: /var/log/messages

Perl#

• Program :/usr/bin/perl or /usr/local/bin/perl (one should symlink to the other)
• Directory :/usr/lib/perl5/5.8.x/ or /usr/local/lib/perl5
• Version: perl -v
• Check: /scripts/checkperlmodules : /scripts/perlmods -s
• Installer: /scripts/perlinstaller : perl -MCPAN -e shell
• Build: /home/.cpan :/home/.cpcpan

System PHP#

• Program :/usr/local/bin/php, /usr/bin/php, /usr/local/php4/bin/php
• ini file: /usr/local/lib/php.ini – apache must be restarted after any change to this file
• PHP can be recompiled using /scripts/easyapache : /scripts/phpup using /var/cpanel/easy/apache/profile/
• Also in WHM you can go to Main » Software » EasyApache (Apache Update) to recompile.

Internal PHP#

• Program : /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php : /var/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php
• ini file: /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/etc/php.ini
• internal PHP can be recompiled using-  /scripts/makecpphp using /var/cpanel/easy/apache/profile/makecpphp.profile.yaml
• /var/cpanel/3rdparty

Named(BIND)#

• Program: /usr/sbin/named
• Init Script: /etc/rc.d/init.d/named
• Config: /etc/named.conf
• Zone files:/var/named/
• Log: /var/log/messages: /var/named/data/named.run

NSD (Alternate DNS option)(limited to 500 domains and 50 IPʼs)#

• Program: /usr/sbin/nsd
• Init Script : /etc/rc.d/init.d/nsd • db records : /var/named
• Config: /etc/nsd/nsd.conf
• Log: /var/log/messages

Courier#

• Program: /usr/lib/courier-imap/libexec/couriertcpd
• Init Script: /etc/init.d/courier : /scripts/restartsrv_courier
• Config: /usr/local/libexec/courier-imap
• Log: /var/log/maillog

Dovecot#

• Program: /usr/sbin/dovecot
• Init Script: /etc/init.
• Config: /etc/dovecot.conf
• Log: /var/log/maillog

DBMapping#

• Unordered List Item• Directory: /var/cpanel/databases
• Scripts:
• /usr/local/cpanel/bin/dbindex
• /usr/local/cpanel/bin/dbmaptool
• /usr/local/cpanel/bin/dbstoregrants
• /usr/local/cpanel/bin/setupdbmap

Tomcat#

• Directory: /usr/local/jakarta/tomcat
• Conf: /usr/local/jakarta/tomcat/conf/server.xml
• Log:
• /usr/local/jakarta/tomcat/logs/catalina.out
• /usr/local/jakarta/tomcat/logs/catalina.err
• /usr/local/apache/logs/mod_jk.log
• Scripts:
• /scripts/addservlets –domain=
• /scripts/remservlets

Ruby#

• Directory:
• /home/username/rails_apps
• /home/username/.gem/ruby
• Scripts: /scripts/installruby

Spamd#

• Directory: /etc/mail/spamassassin
• Program: /usr/bin/spamd & /usr/bin/spamc & /usr/bin/spamassassin
• Scripts: /scripts/installspam

Clamd#

• Conf: /etc/clamd.conf
• Scripts:
• clamscan
• freshclam

EasyApache#

• /var/cpanel/easy/apache
• /var/cpanel/userdata
• /usr/local/apache/conf/
• /var/cpanel/templates/apache2
• /usr/local/cpanel/src/templates/apache2
• /home/cpeasyapache
• /opt
• /usr/local/cpanel/logs/easy/apache

cPanel installation directory structure – /usr/local/cpanel#

• 3rdparty/ – tools like fantastico, mailman files are located here
• addons/ – AdvancedGuestBook, phpBB, etc.
• base/ – phpmyadmin, squirrelmail, skins, webmail, etc.
• bin/ – cpanel binaries
• cgi-sys/ – cgi files such as cgiemail, formmail.cgi, formmail.pl, etc.
• logs/ – cpanel access_log, error_log, license_log, stats_log
• whostmgr/ – whm related files
• base/frontend – cPanel related files – themes+ perl/ – internal Perl modules for compiled binaries
• etc/init – init files for cPanel services

WHM related files – /var/cpanel – whm files#

• bandwidth/ – rrd files of domains
• username.accts – reseller accounts are listed in this files
• packages – list of hosting packages
• root.accts – list of root owned domains
• suspended – list of suspended accounts
• users/ – cpanel user file: theme, bwlimit, addon, parked, sub-domains all are listed in this files
• zonetemplates/ – dns zone template files are taken from here

Common CPanel scripts – /scripts/#

• addns – add a dns zone
• addfpmail2 -Adds frontpage mail extensions to all domains
• addpop – add a pop account
• addservlets – Add JSP support to a domain (requires tomcat)
• adduser – Add a user to the system
• apachelimits – calculates memory limits for apache processes then adds result to httpd.conf
• bandminup – Updates Bandmin Application
• biglogcheck – looks for logs nearing 2 gigabytes in size
• bsdcryptoinstall – Installs crypto on FreeBSD
• bsdldconfig – Configures the proper lib directories in FreeBSD
• bsdpkgpingtest – Tests the connection speed for downloading FreeBSD packages
• buildbsdexpect – Install expect on FreeBSD
• buildeximconf – Rebuilds exim.conf
• build_maxemails_config – Sets limit on amount of emails one can send from domains.
• buildpostgrebsd-dev – Installs postgresql on FreeBSD.
• chpass – change cpanel passwords (does not change all passwords)
• checkperlmodules – Contains a list of standard CPAN modules to install on cPanel
• check_users_my_cnf – Check user accounts for ~/.my.cnf files that do not work and disable them. This script only returns output when it detects a bad .my.cnf.
• chcpass – For internal use only, do not use.
• chkmydns – Performs a simple configuration check of MyDNS
• cleandns – removes domains from named.conf that do not have a Zone.
• comparecdb $file1 $file2 – Compare the content of 2 CDB files.
• convert_roundcube_mysql2sqlite — Converts the Roundcube database from MySQL to SQLite
• courierup – used to update/reinstall courier
• cpaddonsup – Update cPanel’s addon.
• cpbackup – to backup accounts (if backups enabled) (–force)
• delpop – Removes POP account
• dnscluster – used to synchronize DNS zones with clustered servers (–help)
• dovecotup – Updates dovecot mail server
• dumpcdb – Displays the contents of a CDB file
• dumpstor – displays contents of .datastore storable files
• dumpgdbm – displays contents of .gdbm locale files
• easyapache – recompile/upgrade apache and/or php
• editquota – used to manually set a users quota limit
• ensure_vhost_includes – ensures users includes are added in httpd.conf
• eximup – used to update exim to latest version (overwrites any manual changes)
• export mydnsdbb – Exports zones from MyDNS for use with BIND and NSD
• fixcommonproblems – fixes mailbox permissions, mailman, cgi scripts, ndc and quotas
• fixfrontpageperm – fixes permission issues with Front Page
• fixmailinglistperms — Repairs permissions for all mailing list files and directories
• fixmailman – fixes common mailman issues fixndc – fixes rndc errors with named
• fixquotas – fixes quota problems
• fullhordereset – resets horde database to a fresh one (previous user data is lost)
• ftpup – used to update/install FTP server (pureftpd or proftpd) to latest version
• gather-update-logs — Sends update logs to cPanel for analysis
• generatemaildirsize – generates new maildirsize for any or all users *(–help)
• hook — Executes any hooks that would be called normally in the specified context
• imapup – Updates IMAP email server
• importmydnsdb — Imports zone information from BIND and NSD into MyDNS
• initquotas – initializes quotas
• installzendopt – installs zend optimizer – thru phpextensionmgr
• installruby — Installs Ruby
• installpostgres — Installs PostgreSQL
• killacct – terminate an account  (backup account before termination)
• killdns – removes a DNS Zone
• killpkg – removes a package
• mailperm – fixes permission problems with mail directories
• makecpphp – rebuilds internal PHP from /var/cpanel/easy/apache/profile/makecpphp.profile.yaml
• mydnsup — Installs and updates MyDNS packages
• mysqlup – updates mysql to latest version specified in /var/cpanel/cpanel.config
• nsdup – Updates BIND services for name servers
• park – to park a domain (only adds DNS)
• pkgacct – used to create an account backup
• pre* –  creates pre service scripts that run before a service is updated
• post* – creates post service scripts that run after a service is updated
• portsup – Updates Ports(FreeBSD systems only)
• phpup – used to update PHP only
• phpextensionmgr – Installs IonCube, Zend Optimizer, SuHosin & eAccelerator
• realchpass – Similar to chpass, changes cPanel password only (not FTP or MySQL)
• realperlinstaller – Automates the installation of Perl CPAN modules
• realrawchpass – For internal use only, do not use.
• rebuildcpusers – chowns /var/cpanel/users files
• rebuildnamedconf – rebuilds /etc/named.conf with zones from /var/named/*.db
• rebuildparkeddomains
• restartsrv_$servicename – restart script for services
• restartsrv_mydns — Restarts script from MyDNS
• restorepkg – restores an account from a backup file (pkgacct file)(must be in /home)
• runlogsnow – update logs of all users
• runstatsonce – Updates statistics for a user
• runweblogs – update stats for a particular user
• securetmp – secures /tmp partition with options nosuexec and nosuid
• setupftpserver – sets the FTP server to install (pureftpd or proftpd)
• setupmailserver – sets the mail service to install (courier or dovecot)
• setupnameserver – sets the DNS service to install (Bind or NSD)
• slurp_exim_mainlog — Imports exim mainlog data into the eximstats database
• suphpup – Updates SuPHP tool
• suspendacct – suspends an account
• try-later – Executes a user-defined check command at a specified interval
• unsuspendacct – unsuspends an account
• upcp – updates cpanel to the latest version (–force)
• upcp-running – Specifies whether a upcp command is running
• updatenow – updates the cpanel scripts
• updateuserdomains – updates /etc/userdomains entries from /var/cpanel/users
• update_php_timezonedb — Updates the timezone database used by PHP
• xfer_horde_sid_resolver.pl — Resolves key collision errors before importing Horde data during an account transfer
• wwwacct – to create new accounts (wwwacct domain.com user password)

Important cPanel/WHM files (& Config files)#

• /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf – apache configuration file
• /etc/exim.conf – mail server configuration file
• /etc/named.conf – name server (named) configuration file
• /etc/proftpd.conf – proftpd server configuration file
• /etc/pure-ftpd.conf – pure-ftpd server configuration fileetc/valiases/domainname (catchall and forwarders are set here)
• /etc/vfilters/domainname – email filters are set here
• /etc/userdomains – all domains are listed here addon, parked, subdomains, and the usernames
• /etc/localdomains – exim related file all domains should be listed here to be able to send/receive emails
• /etc/cpbackup-userskip.conf
• /etc/sysconfig/network – Networking Setup
• /etc/hosts
• /etc/resolv.conf – Networking Setup–> Resolver Configuration
• /etc/nameserverips – Networking Setup–> Nameserver IPs ( for resellers to give their nameservers )
• /var/cpanel/resellers – For addpkg, etc permissions for resellers.
• /etc/chkserv.d – Main » Service Configuration » Service Manager
• /etc/ipaddrpool – free IP addresses
• /etc/ips.dnsmaster – nameserver IP’s
• /etc/domainips –  dedicate IPʼs set for specific domains
• /etc/wwwacct.conf – account creation defaults file in WHM (Basic cPanel/WHM Setup)
• /etc/cpupdate.conf – Update Config file
• /etc/cpbackup.conf – Configure Backup
• /etc/clamav.conf – clamav (antivirus configuration file )
• /etc/my.cnf – mysql configuration file
• /usr/local/lib/php.ini – php configuration file
• /etc/ips – IP addresses on the server (excluding shared IP’s) (IP Functions–>Show IP Address Usage )
• /var/run/chkservd – Main » Server Status » Service Status
• /var/log/dcpumon – top log process
• /root/cpanel3-skel – skeleton directory. Eg: public_ftp, public_html. (Account Functions)
• /var/spool/exim/input – Mail queue
• /var/spool/exim/msglog – email message logs
• /var/spool/cron – cronjobs are stored here for all users
• /var/cpanel/users – cpanel user file that defines account settings
• /var/cpanel/users.cache – user cache files that are read by cPanel
• /var/cpanel/cpanel.config – cpanel configuration file ( Tweak Settings )
• /var/cpanel/Counters – To get the counter of each users.
• /var/cpanel/bandwidth – To get bandwith usage of domains
• /var/cpanel/userdata – Defines parked, addon, subdomains as well as VirtualHost
• /var/cpanel/logs – transfer logs
• /var/cpanel/easy/apache – easyapache build files/profile
• /var/cpanel/userhomes – session home for cPanel, Horde, Roundcube, phpmyadmin
• /var/cpanel/serviceauth – chkservd service user/pass data
• /var/cpanel/updatelogs – upcp daily logs
• /var/cpanel/horde – version file, backups and logs stored here
• /var/cpanel/roundcube – version file, backups and logs stored here
• /var/cpanel/squirrelmail – version file stored here
• /var/cpanel/packages – default and custom packages created herevar/cpanel/databases – dbmapping files
• /var/cpanel/cpanelsync – DNS Clustering files