Tips, News and Comments on HTML Guard

In this article, I will introduce you to .htaccess, a simple configuration file that lets you control many aspects of your web server. This article is intended to serve as a reference for upcoming posts that will explore how to use .htaccess for content protection.

What is an .htaccess File?

An .htaccess file is a plain text file that allows you to make changes to the configuration of your web server. When placing the file in a particular directory, the configuration directives contained therein are applied to that directory and all its subdirectories.

Although .htaccess files can be used on many different web servers (most commonly Apache), your hosting company might restrict certain directives or block the use of .htaccess completely. If you are not certain whether configuration via .htaccess is available on your server, you should simply ask your web host.

Common Usages of .htaccess

There are a huge variety of things you are able to do with .htaccess, including:

• Password protect folders
• Redirect file requests to a new location
• Ban users with certain IP addresses
• Block downloads from foreign domains
• Stop directory listings
• Control how web pages are cached
• Provide custom error pages

Creating Your own .htaccess File

All you need to create an .htaccess file is a simple text file editor. Just open Notepad, or any other editor, type the required code and save the file, calling it exactly “.htaccess” (without the quotation marks). If Notepad doesn’t let you save the file without adding the file extension “.txt”, make sure “All Files” is selected in the “Save as type” drop-down menu. If that still doesn’t work, you can click here to download a blank .htaccess file with which to start.

After your file is ready, you must upload it to your web server using an FTP program like FileZilla or WinSCP. Because the .htaccess file is read on every single request, the directives found in the file will take effect immediately and don’t require a server reset.

Conclusion

.htaccess files are a very useful tool in web design and server administration. In the following articles, I will provide you with detailed examples of how to make use of the manifold possibilities of the .htaccess file.

Tags: .htaccess
Posted in Uncategorized