Editing .htaccess (section)

==Common usage==
; [[Authorization]], [[authentication]]: A .htaccess file is often used to specify security restrictions for a directory, hence the filename "<kbd>access</kbd>". The <kbd>.htaccess</kbd> file is often accompanied by a <kbd>[[.htpasswd]]</kbd> file which stores valid [[username]]s and their [[password]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/misc/password_encryptions.html | title = Apache Tutorial: Password Formats | access-date = 2009-03-02}}</ref>
; [[URL rewriting]]: Servers often use <kbd>.htaccess</kbd> for [[rewriting]] long, overly comprehensive URLs to shorter and more memorable ones.
; Blocking (access control): Use ''allow/deny'' to block users by IP address or domain. Also used to block bad bots, rippers and referrers.
:
; SSI: Enable [[server-side include]]s.
; Directory listing: Control how the server will react when no specific web page is specified.
; [[Custom error page|Customized error responses]]: Changing the page that is shown when a server-side error occurs, for example [[HTTP 404|HTTP 404 Not Found]] or, to indicate to a search engine that a page has moved, [[HTTP 301|HTTP 301 Moved Permanently]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=93633 | title =  Webmaster Tools Help: 301 redirects | access-date = 2012-03-27}}</ref>
; [[MIME types]]: Instruct the server how to treat different varying file types.
; Cache control: <kbd>.htaccess</kbd> files allow a server to control [[web cache|caching]] by [[web browser]]s and [[caching proxy|proxies]] to speed up websites,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wpenlight.com/how-to-create-edit-wordpress-htaccess-speed-up-website/|title=How to Create and Edit WordPress htaccess File to Speed Up Your Website|date=2017-07-29|work=WP Enlight|access-date=2017-09-12|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-09-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912192950/https://www.wpenlight.com/how-to-create-edit-wordpress-htaccess-speed-up-website/|url-status=dead}}</ref> reduce [[bandwidth (computing)|bandwidth]] usage, [[web server|server]] load, and perceived [[Latency (engineering)|lag]]. <kbd>.htaccess</kbd> also adds the cache age to the webpage resources so that on revisiting the page, the elements are reloaded from browser cache till the age mentioned expires, instead of requesting the resource again from the server.
; [[HTTPS]] & [[HTTP Strict Transport Security|HSTS]]: Implementation of both HTTPS and HSTS on Apache servers is largely dependent on correct [[URL rewriting]] & header information mentioned in <kbd>.htaccess</kbd> file. Any incorrect syntax in the file while deploying HTTPS or HSTS leads to a failure in implementation.