.htaccess (hypertext access) is a hidden file used to configure additional features for websites hosted on Apache Web Server. With it, you can rewrite URL, password-protect directories, enable hotlink protection, disallow access to specific IP addresses, change your website’s time zone or alter default index page, and much more.

.htaccess files (or "distributed configuration files") provide a way to make configuration changes on a per-directory basis. A file, containing one or more configuration directives, is placed in a particular document directory, and the directives apply to that directory, and all subdirectories thereof.