With an .htaccess file, you can define how the web server that addresses the requests to your Internet sites should act in various occasions. This is a text file with directives that are performed when somebody tries to open your site and what happens next depends on the content of the file. For instance, you can block a specific IP address from accessing the site, so the server will decline the visitor’s request, or you can forward your domain to an alternative URL, so the server will direct the visitor to the new web address. You could also use custom error pages or protect any part of your Internet site with a password, if you place an .htaccess file in the correct folder. Many popular script-driven apps, like WordPress, Drupal™ and Joomla™, use an .htaccess file to work correctly.