.htaccess File Usage Guide

The .htaccess file is a powerful tool that allows you to perform directory-based configuration on the Apache web server.

You can perform the following operations without accessing the main server configuration:

• URL redirects
• SEO compatible URL structures
• Directory encryption
• Custom error pages
• MIME type definition

In this guide, you will learn how to activate, create, and common usage scenarios about the .htaccess file.

What Will You Learn in This Guide?

The following topics will be covered in this document:

• Enabling .htaccess support in Apache
• Creating the .htaccess file in the correct directory
• Using URL redirection and mod_rewrite
• Directory encryption operations
• Add custom error pages and MIME type
• Performance and security implications of .htaccess

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Prerequisites

To follow this guide, you need to have the following components ready:

• VPS with Ubuntu 20.04 or above
• A user with sudo authority
• Active UFW firewall
• Installed Apache Web Server
• Virtual Host configured for the domain

Sample Virtual Host file:

/etc/apache2/sites-available/ornek.com.conf

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Enabling and Creating the .htaccess File

Enabling .htaccess in Apache

By default, Apache will not run .htaccess without the AllowOverride setting enabled.

Open the Virtual Host file

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/ornek.com.conf

Add or edit the following configuration:

<VirtualHost *:80>

    ServerName ornek.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/ornek.com

    <Directory /var/www/ornek.com>
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

</VirtualHost>

AllowOverride All setting enables the use of .htaccess.

Restart Apache service

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Creating the .htaccess File

The .htaccess file should be located in the root directory of your website.

Go to the web root directory:

cd /var/www/ornek.com Create the file:

sudo nano .htaccess

You can now add any Apache directives you want to the .htaccess file.

Common Uses of the .htaccess File

Directory Password Protection

• Creating password file:

sudo htpasswd -c /etc/apache2/.htpasswd genixnode-user

• add in .htaccess

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Korunan Alan"
AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/.htpasswd
Require valid-user

This configuration requires username and password authentication to access the directory.

URL Rewrite (mod_rewrite)

You can create clean, SEO-compatible URL structures.

RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^sayfa/([0-9]+)$ sayfa.php?id=$1 [NC,L]

This rule makes the following transformation:

site.com/sayfa/5

→

site.com/sayfa.php?id=5

Custom Error Pages

To show custom pages on server errors:

ErrorDocument 404 /404.html
ErrorDocument 500 /500.html

Adding MIME Types

To have Apache recognize special file types:

AddType application/x-font-otf .font

Enabling SSI (Server Side Includes)

To use SSI:

AddType text/html .shtml
AddHandler server-parsed .shtml

To run SSI on HTML files:

XBitHack on

Give execute permission to the file:

chmod +x sayfa.html

.htaccess Performance and Security Impacts

Performance

Small delays may occur on large projects because Apache checks the .htaccess file with every request.

Therefore, on high-traffic sites, it is recommended to make settings in the Apache main configuration file.

Security

The .htaccess file allows for quick configuration but can pose security risks if configured incorrectly.

In particular:

File permissions Unauthorized access Misdirections

should be checked carefully.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is .htaccess a hidden file?

The "." at the beginning Due to its character, it is considered a hidden file in Linux systems.

Can I use another value instead of AllowOverride All?

Yes, but some .htaccess features may be disabled.

Are subdirectories affected by .htaccess settings?

Yes. By default all subdirectories inherit the same rules.

Is Apache configuration or .htaccess more performant?

Apache main configuration is preferred for performance, .htaccess is preferred for flexibility.

Can there be more than one .htaccess in a directory?

Yes. Each directory can contain its own .htaccess file.

Result

In this guide, you learned how to enable the .htaccess file on Apache and apply basic configurations.

.htaccess when used correctly:

Makes URL redirects easier Controls directory access Creates SEO friendly URL structures Lets you customize error pages

To make your infrastructure more powerful, you can easily manage your Apache configurations by using high-performance servers on GenixNode.