What Is The .HTACCESS File Used For?

Definition

The .htaccess file serves as a configuration file for the Apache web servers [↗]. It allows website administrators to override server configuration settings without altering the main server configuration file. Essentially, it provides a way to customize server behavior on a per-directory basis.

Use Cases and Examples

Consider the scenario where a website owner wishes to enforce HTTPS for all traffic on their site. Instead of modifying the global server configuration, they can simply create or edit the .htaccess file in the website's root directory and add the following directives:

✅ Wrap📋
01: RewriteEngine On
02: RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
03: RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

This snippet instructs the server to enable the rewrite engine, check if HTTPS is off, and redirect users to the HTTPS version of the site if necessary. The .htaccess file can be used for other traffic control configurations, including URL rewriting, access control, error handling, and more.

Summary

As the .htaccess file resides within the project or app folder, it exclusively applies its rules to the corresponding website. This means that if you have multiple websites hosted on the same server, you can apply distinct rules for each individual website.

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