---
title: How to Identify a Website Framework by Looking at Its File Structure
description: "When you gain access to a website’s source code—whether via cPanel, SSH, FTP, GitHub, or a server directory—the file structure alone can often tell you what framework or stack the application is built on. This guide provides a practical, sysadmin-oriented…"
url: "https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-identify-a-website-framework-by-looking-at-its-file-structure/"
updated: "2026-04-24"
category: Hosting
---

# How to Identify a Website Framework by Looking at Its File Structure

When you gain access to a website’s source code—whether via cPanel, SSH, FTP, GitHub, or a server directory—the file structure alone can often tell you what framework or stack the application is built on.

This guide provides a practical, sysadmin-oriented breakdown of how to recognize common web frameworks simply by inspecting directory layout and key files.

## How to Identify a Node.js Application

A Node.js backend application has several unmistakable indicators.

### Key Files to Look

```
package.json

package-lock.json or yarn.lock

node_modules/

server.js, app.js, or index.js
```

### Typical Structure

```
project-root/
│
├── node_modules/
├── package.json
├── package-lock.json
├── app.js / server.js / index.js
├── routes/
├── controllers/
└── public/
```

### How to Confirm

The presence of package.json is the strongest indicator.

Open package.json and check:

```
"dependencies": {
    "express": "^4.18.0"
}
```

## Identifying a **React** Application

React is primarily a frontend framework. It can exist standalone or inside a full-stack app.

### Key Files

- `package.json`
- `src/`
- `public/`
- `node_modules/`
- `vite.config.js` or `webpack.config.js`
- `next.config.js` (if using Next.js)

### Typical React (Vite or CRA) Structure

project-root/
│
├── node_modules/
├── public/
├── src/
│ ├── App.jsx
│ ├── main.jsx
│ └── components/
├── package.json
└── vite.config.js

### How to Confirm

Open `package.json`:

"dependencies": {
"react": "^18.0.0",
"react-dom": "^18.0.0"
}

If you see:

- `next.config.js` → it’s likely a Next.js React framework.
- `.jsx` or `.tsx` files → React-based frontend.

## Identifying a **Django** Application (Python)

Django has a very distinctive structure.

### Key Files

- `manage.py`
- `settings.py`
- `urls.py`
- `wsgi.py` or `asgi.py`
- `requirements.txt`

### Typical Structure

project-root/
│
├── manage.py
├── requirements.txt
├── projectname/
│ ├── **init**.py
│ ├── settings.py
│ ├── urls.py
│ ├── wsgi.py
│ └── asgi.py
└── appname/
├── models.py
├── views.py
└── admin.py

### How to Confirm

- `manage.py` is the strongest giveaway.
- `settings.py` and `urls.py` confirm Django.
- Python virtual environment folder like `venv/` may also exist.

## Identifying a **Flask** Application (Python)

Flask is lightweight and less opinionated than Django.

### Key Files

- `app.py` or `main.py`
- `requirements.txt`
- `venv/`
- `templates/`
- `static/`

### Typical Structure

project-root/
│
├── app.py
├── requirements.txt
├── venv/
├── templates/
└── static/

### How to Confirm

Open `app.py`:

from flask import Flask
app = Flask(**name**)

Flask apps are usually simpler than Django—no `manage.py`, no project-level settings folder.

## Identifying a **WordPress** Website

WordPress has one of the most recognizable structures.

### Key Folders

- `wp-admin/`
- `wp-content/`
- `wp-includes/`

### Key Files

- `wp-config.php`
- `wp-load.php`
- `index.php`
- `.htaccess`

### Typical Structure

public_html/
│
├── wp-admin/
├── wp-content/
│ ├── themes/
│ ├── plugins/
├── wp-includes/
├── wp-config.php
└── index.php

If these folders exist, it is 100% WordPress.

## Identifying a Plain **PHP Website**

A basic PHP site without frameworks looks different.

### Indicators

- Multiple `.php` files in root
- No `vendor/` folder
- No `composer.json`
- No structured MVC folders

### Example Structure

public_html/
│
├── index.php
├── about.php
├── contact.php
├── header.php
└── footer.php

This indicates procedural or custom PHP.

## Identifying a **Laravel** Application (PHP Framework)

Laravel has a very distinctive structure.

### Key Files & Folders

- `artisan`
- `composer.json`
- `vendor/`
- `app/`
- `routes/`
- `storage/`
- `bootstrap/`

### Typical Structure

project-root/
│
├── app/
├── bootstrap/
├── config/
├── database/
├── public/
├── resources/
├── routes/
├── storage/
├── vendor/
├── artisan
└── composer.json

### How to Confirm

- Presence of `artisan` file is decisive.
- `composer.json` contains:

"laravel/framework": "^10.0"

- `routes/web.php` exists.

## Identifying Framework via `composer.json` (PHP Ecosystem)

If you see:

- `composer.json`
- `vendor/`

Open `composer.json`.

### Examples:

- `"laravel/framework"` → Laravel
- `"symfony/symfony"` → Symfony
- `"codeigniter/framework"` → CodeIgniter

Composer-managed PHP projects always include `vendor/`.

Sometimes framework clues appear in:

- `.htaccess`
- `nginx.conf`
- `web.config`

For example:

Laravel `.htaccess` typically routes all requests to `public/index.php`.

Node.js deployments may have:

- `ecosystem.config.js` (PM2)
- `server.js`

Django deployments may have:

- `gunicorn.conf.py`
- `uwsgi.ini`

## In Conclusion

As a technical support professional, understanding the framework a website is built on can significantly reduce troubleshooting time. It helps you quickly locate relevant error logs, identify database connections, recognize critical system files, and apply framework-specific fixes with confidence. Instead of relying on trial and error, you can diagnose issues faster, resolve incidents more efficiently, and provide more accurate support to clients.