indexhtm

Indexhtm refers to the convention of using a file named index.htm as the default page for a directory on a web server. The file name is commonly index.htm or index.html, with .htm reflecting historical limits on filename length on older systems. When a user visits a directory without specifying a file, many servers are configured to automatically serve the index.htm file if present.

Different web servers implement this behavior in their own ways. Apache uses the DirectoryIndex directive to define which filenames count as index files and in what order (for example, index.html, index.htm). Nginx uses the index directive to specify default files. Microsoft IIS relies on a list of default documents and will serve index.htm if it is configured as one of them. If a default document is found, the server returns it; if none exists and directory listing is disabled, the server may respond with an error such as 403 or 404.

Creating an index.htm generally involves placing a valid HTML document in the directory so that when the directory is requested, the page loads automatically. In practice, many sites use index.htm or index.html as the homepage and maintain a single preferred default file to avoid content duplication and related SEO or navigational issues. Ensure appropriate file permissions and security considerations to prevent exposure of sensitive files. If both index.htm and index.html exist, the server’s configured order will determine which one is served.