Overview
This article explains DreamHost's policy of assigning a single username to a domain on a web server.
Background
Each domain you host at DreamHost can only be owned by a single SFTP or SHELL user on the web server. This configuration helps to secure a domain as data from one user cannot access a domain under a different user.
How users and domains are assigned to each other
This section explains how a single username can be assigned to multiple domains, but a single domain can only be assigned to one username.
What a user has access to
User 1
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When creating a website user in your panel, you are able to assign that single user access to multiple websites. For example, the following shows one user that has access to three websites.
User 2
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When a second user is created, that user only has access to their own websites. The following shows a second user who has access to three different websites.
What a user does NOT have access to
Users on a web server only have access to the data directly under their home directory. They do not have access to the website files under any other user.
User 1
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User 1 is only able to view their own home directory and the files/folders within it.
This example shows User 1 DOES NOT have access to ANY of the websites under User 2.
User 2
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The same is true for User 2.
FAQs
How do I create a new user?
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See this article for instructions on adding a user to a server.
How can I change the user assigned to a domain?
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See this article for instructions on moving a domain to a different username.
How can I confirm a domain is resolving from a username?
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- Load the website in a browser.
- Log into your server via SFTP or SSH.
- Navigate to the site's access.log file.
- Open this file and check for current entries. You should see the new username in the log data.
What if I need to allow a developer access to my site?
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It may be necessary at some point to hire a developer to work on your website. There are a few different ways a developer may require access to your site in order to work on it. The access you grant a developer depends on exactly what tools they need to complete the job you hired them for.
See this article for information on how to grant your developer only the specific access they require.