The .htaccess file is a small but powerful tool in your website’s backend. You can use it to control redirects, set up custom error pages, improve security, and more.

It lives in your root directory and can be edited through cPanel or FTP. Just be careful — one small mistake can crash your whole site. Always back it up before making changes.

Want to redirect old pages? Block IPs? Force HTTPS? You can do all of that with .htaccess. It gives you more control without touching your site’s core files.

This file is mostly used in Apache servers — so make sure your host supports it. If you’re using Nginx, the configuration will be different.

For safe and guided use of .htaccess, web hosting for developers provides tutorials and lists which hosting providers offer built-in tools for editing it securely.