.htaccess mod_rewrite - how to exclude directory from rewrite rule

Try this rule before your other rules:

RewriteRule ^(admin|user)($|/) - [L]

This will end the rewriting process.

What you could also do is put a .htaccess file containing

RewriteEngine Off

In the folders you want to exclude from being rewritten (by the rules in a .htaccess file that's higher up in the tree). Simple but effective.

add a condition to check for the admin directory, something like:

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/?(admin|user)/
RewriteRule ^([^/] )/([^/] )\.html$ index.php?lang=$1&mod=$2 [L]

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/?(admin|user)/
RewriteRule ^([^/] )/$ index.php?lang=$1&mod=home [L]

If you want to remove a particular directory from the rule (meaning, you want to remove the directory foo) ,you can use :

RewriteEngine on

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/foo/$
RewriteRule !index\.php$ /index.php [L]

The rewriteRule above will rewrite all requestes to /index.php excluding requests for /foo/ .

To exclude all existent directries, you will need to use the following condition above your rule :

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d

the following rule

RewriteEngine on

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule !index\.php$ /index.php [L]

rewrites everything (except directries) to /index.php .