The htaccess file (hypertext access file) is a powerful tool that allows us to make configurations at the directory and subdirectory level and controls how a web server responds to incoming requests.
The main use cases of .htaccess file are:
- Setting up URL rewriting rules.
- Protecting web pages with passwords.
- Displaying custom error pages.
1) Protecting web pages with password
- Open the default Apache configuration file. Use the command that follows.
sudo vi /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf
- Search directory block for /var/www/html and change AllowOverride to AuthConfig from none.
- Create .htaccess file in /var/www/html directory.
sudo vi /var/www/html/.htaccess
- In the file, paste the following code.
AuthType Basic
AuthName "Restricted Content"
AuthUserFile /etc/httpd/.htpasswd
Require valid-user- Restart Apache service.
sudo systemctl restart httpd
- Create .htpasswd file.
sudo htpasswd -c /etc/apache2/.htpasswd username
- Enter password when prompted.
- We are all set up. Now go to your browser and access your site, you will see a prompt for username and password.
2) Setting up URL rewriting rules
-
- htaccess file can be used to transfer requests from one directory to other. In the file, paste the following code.
Options +FollowSymLinks RewriteEngine On RewriteRule ^folder1.*$ http://example.com/folder2/ [R=301,L]
- Copy the following code, if you want to stop traffic from being redirected from a particular site to yours.
RewriteEngine on
# Options +FollowSymlinks
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} blockedsite\.com [NC]
RewriteRule .* - [F]
3) Setting up custom error page
- Add the following code in file.
ErrorDocument 404 /errorpage.html
- Make a custom error html page in the directory with htaccess file.
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