How can mod_rewrite be used to optimize websites for search engines in PHP?

To optimize websites for search engines using mod_rewrite in PHP, you can create SEO-friendly URLs that are easier for search engines to crawl and index. This can improve your website's visibility and ranking in search engine results pages.

RewriteEngine On

# Redirect non-www to www
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www\. [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.%{HTTP_HOST}/$1 [R=301,L]

# Rewrite URLs to remove file extensions
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteRule ^([^\.]+)$ $1.php [NC,L]