how to configuring a xampp web server for different root directory

In case, if anyone prefers a simpler solution, especially on Linux (e.g. Ubuntu), a very easy way out is to create a symbolic link to the intended folder in the htdocs folder. For example, if I want to be able to serve files from a folder called "/home/some/projects/testserver/" and my htdocs is located in "/opt/lampp/htdocs/". Just create a symbolic link like so:

ln -s /home/some/projects/testserver /opt/lampp/htdocs/testserver

The command for symbolic link works like so: ln -s target source where,

target - The existing file/directory you would like to link TO.
source - The file/folder to be created, copying the contents of the target. The LINK itself.

For more help see ln --help Source: Create Symbolic Links in Ubuntu

And that's done. just visit http://localhost/testserver/ In fact, you don't even need to restart your server.

You can change Apaches httpd.conf by clicking (in xampp control panel) apache/conf/httpd.conf and adjust the entries for DocumentRoot and the corresponding Directory entry. Just Ctrl+F for "htdocs" and change the entries to your new path.

See screenshot:

#
# DocumentRoot: The directory out of which you will serve your
# documents. By default, all requests are taken from this directory, but
# symbolic links and aliases may be used to point to other locations.
#
DocumentRoot "C:/xampp/htdocs"
<Directory "C:/xampp/htdocs">

• Go to C:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf
• Open httpd.conf
• Find tag : DocumentRoot "C:/xampp/htdocs"
• Edit tag to : DocumentRoot "C:/xampp/htdocs/myproject/web"

• Now find tag and change it to < Directory "C:/xampp/htdocs/myproject/web" >

• Restart Your Apache