What is the concept of managed path in SharePoint and how does it work?

In SharePoint, a managed path is a setting that defines the URL structure and organization of site collections within a SharePoint web application. Technically, it is a configuration at the web application level that determines how site collection URLs are formed and accessed.

When a managed path is created, it specifies a name and a type. The name represents the unique identifier for the managed path, while the type determines its behavior. The two main types of managed paths are:

Explicit inclusion

This type allows for the explicit inclusion of site collections under a specific URL. For example, if you create a managed path with the name "sites" and the explicit inclusion type, any site collections created under this managed path will have URLs like "http://<server>/<web application>/sites/<site collection>."

Wildcard inclusion

This type enables the use of wildcard characters (*) to dynamically include site collections. For example, if you create a managed path with the name "teams" and the wildcard inclusion type, you can create site collections with URLs like "http://<server>/<web application>/teams/marketing," "http://<server>/<web application>/teams/sales," and so on.

Manage path setup from central admin

By using managed paths, you can control the structure and naming conventions of site collections within a SharePoint web application. They provide a way to organize site collections based on departments, projects, or any other grouping that suits your needs.

From a technical perspective, managed paths are managed through Central Administration or PowerShell commands. Administrators can create, modify, or delete managed paths to adapt to changing requirements. It's important to plan and configure managed paths carefully to ensure an organized and scalable SharePoint environment.

In summary, managed paths are a configuration setting in SharePoint that define how site collection URLs are formed and accessed within a web application. They provide a way to structure and organize site collections and are managed through administrative tools or PowerShell commands.