Htaccess

The .htaccess is an Apache configuration file that allows you to set rules per directory: redirects, access protection, error pages, or IP filters. Changes take effect immediately, many rules can slow down performance.

So that not every user has unrestricted access to certain areas or content of a website, a so-called Htaccess file can be created. The configuration file, referred to as "Hypertext access," allows directory-specific rules for the transmission of a page's content, which can apply to all websites hosted on a server or to individual areas. In a concrete example, Htaccess could prescribe data transmission through HTTP authentication, requiring the user to identify themselves to the web server via a web browser to obtain certain information or access to data. If a folder is protected by an Htaccess file, a window opens when calling the web address, prompting the user to enter a username and password. An Htaccess file can be used on all web servers that are NCSA-compatible — the "National Center for Supercomputing Applications" (NCSA) is the home of the first web server with a graphical web browser.

Possible applications of Htaccess on the World Wide Web

Htaccess refers to text-based files that do not apply globally to all websites on a web server, although they can, but are only used in the directory where they are created. There are various ways to configure an Htaccess file for a page or use different "commands." For example, with a Hypertext access file, certain IP addresses can be denied access, or country/language-related information can be provided, if the user has a corresponding setting on their browser. Additionally, Htaccess can be used to set up custom error pages or redirects. With a redirect, it can be defined through the Htaccess file that, for example, all contact inquiries (via a form) of a web subdomain are directed through the contact form of the main domain. When a file is changed, the adjustments take effect immediately. This is because the Htaccess file is read anew with each request for information on a website.

However, re-querying the Htaccess file can also become a problem or degrade a website's performance if it is particularly extensive. If the Hypertext access file on very large websites contains, for example, 20,000 redirects, all of these must be searched during a query. Here, it may be advisable to create subdirectories for individual areas and configure each directory with the corresponding file. In this case, for example, the order of redirects or forwards must be considered.

Example .htaccess from Shopware: