With an .htaccess file, you can determine how the web server which handles the requests to your web sites have to act in a variety of occasions. This is a text file with directives that are executed when somebody tries to open your website and what happens next depends on the content of the file. As an illustration, you may block a specific IP address from accessing your website, so the server will decline your visitor’s request, or you can forward your domain to an alternative URL, so the server will redirect the visitor to the new web address. Also you can use custom-made error pages or secure any part of your website with a password, if you place an .htaccess file in the correct folder. Many popular script-driven apps, like WordPress, Joomla™ and Drupal™, use an .htaccess file to operate correctly.