apache - Rewrite API URL with .htaccess after removing .php -

i'm making little rest api in php i'm trying rewrite url .htaccess

i'm trying rewrite url this

localhost/api/object_attributes/1/1 

to

localhost/api/object/1/attributes/1 

in .htaccess made condition remove .php second 1 not working.

<ifmodule mod_rewrite.c>     options +followsymlinks     rewriteengine on      rewriterule ^api/ api.php     rewriterule ^api/object/1/attributes/1 /object_attributes/1/1 </ifmodule> 

i searched on web didn't find solution , no errors / redirections.

that second rewrite rule working on not make sense in eyes. there no object found under path in http server.

i assume looking 1 of following 2 approaches. 1 not getting clear description, term "i want rewrite ... ..." ambiguous.

rewriteengine on rewriterule ^/?api/object/(\d+)/attributes/(\d+) /api.php?object=$1&attributes=$2 [end,qsa] 

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rewriteengine on rewriterule ^/?api/object_attributes/(\d+)/(\d+) /api.php?object=$1&attributes=$2 [end,qsa] 

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a general hint: should prefer place such rules inside real http servers host configuration instead of using .htaccess style files. files notoriously error prone, hard debug , slow down server, nothing. provided situations not have control on host configuration (read: cheap hosting providers) or applications need write own rewrite rules in primitive way (which obvious security nightmare).