Does .htaccess work on any web server?

No, .htaccess is specific to the Apache web server. Nginx and other servers use a different configuration approach and do not read .htaccess files.

What happens if there's a syntax error in .htaccess?

A syntax error can cause the server to fail processing requests for that directory entirely, potentially taking down the site. Always back up the existing file before making changes.

Why standardize on www or non-www?

Search engines can treat www and non-www versions of a domain as separate sites, which can split SEO value and cause duplicate-content issues. Redirecting one to the other consolidates traffic and ranking signals.

.htaccess Generator

Build redirects and common Apache rules visually — copy or download your .htaccess file.

From (path)To (URL)Type

Force HTTPS

Redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS automatically.

Force www / non-www

Canonicalise your domain to always use (or not use) www.

Force www Force non-www

Enable GZIP Compression

Compress HTML, CSS, JS, and other text assets to improve load time.

Prevent Directory Listing

Block browsers from seeing folder contents when no index file exists.

Cache Static Assets

Set long-lived cache headers for images, CSS, and JS files.

Block Sensitive Files

Deny access to .env, .git, composer files, and other sensitive paths.

Custom 404 Error Page

Serve a custom page when a URL is not found.

Generated .htaccess

# .htaccess

Apache only: .htaccess files work on Apache web servers. They have no effect on Nginx, Caddy, or other servers. Always test redirects before deploying to production.

How to Use

Redirects tab — add rows with a From path (e.g. /old-page), a To URL, and a redirect type (301 = permanent, 302 = temporary).
Common Rules tab — toggle individual rules on or off. Some rules reveal extra options when enabled.
The generated .htaccess output updates live as you make changes across both tabs.
Click Copy or Download to get the file, then place it in your Apache site's root directory (or the relevant subdirectory).
Use a 301 redirect for permanent URL changes (search engines will update their index) and 302 for temporary ones.

About this .htaccess Generator

.htaccess is a configuration file used by the Apache web server to control behavior for a specific directory — redirects, access rules, HTTPS enforcement — without needing access to the main server configuration.

Common uses

Forcing HTTPS: redirecting all HTTP traffic to the secure HTTPS version of a site
WWW vs. non-WWW: standardizing on one version of a domain to avoid duplicate-content issues and broken bookmarks
Custom redirects: sending visitors from an old URL to a new one after a page moves or a site restructures
Custom error pages: showing a branded 404 page instead of the server's default error page

Why file placement and order matter

.htaccess only works on servers running Apache (not Nginx, which uses a different configuration approach entirely), must be placed in the correct directory to take effect, and rules are typically processed in the order they appear — an incorrectly ordered redirect rule can create an infinite redirect loop.

A word of caution

A syntax error in .htaccess can take down an entire site or directory immediately, since the server fails to process requests correctly. Always back up the existing file before editing, and test changes on a staging environment when possible before applying them to a live site.