Apache .htaccess Generator

What this tool is used for

• Producing an HTTPS redirect rule without hand-writing the rewrite conditions.
• Adding canonical www or non-www redirection consistently.
• Setting cache headers for static assets on a shared host.
• Enabling compression where you cannot change the server config.
• Turning off directory listing on a host you do not fully control.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the file go and why the leading dot?

In the directory it should govern — rules apply to that directory and everything beneath it. The leading dot makes it hidden on Unix, which is why ls appears to show an empty directory and why the file is so often "missing" after an upload.

Why is it slower than the main config?

Because Apache re-reads it on *every request*, and checks every parent directory for one too. The main httpd.conf is read once at startup. If you control the server, put the rules there and set AllowOverride None — the difference is measurable under load.

My rules do nothing at all — why?

Almost always AllowOverride. If it is set to None for that directory, the file is ignored entirely and silently. After that, check mod_rewrite is enabled, then that the file has not been uploaded in binary mode with CRLF line endings.

Which redirect should I use?

301 for a permanent move — it passes ranking signals and browsers cache it hard, which is precisely why testing one is painful. Use 302 while you are still deciding, and test in a private window so a cached 301 does not follow you around.

Does it work on nginx?

No. .htaccess is an Apache feature with no nginx equivalent by design — nginx deliberately rejected per-directory config files for the performance reason above. The rules must be translated into server and location blocks and reloaded.

Common errors and gotchas

• Writing a redirect that loops, which is easy when both HTTPS and www rules interact.
• Assuming the file is read, when AllowOverride may be off and the rules silently ignored.
• Ordering rules wrongly, since the first matching rewrite can stop the rest from applying.
• Setting very long cache lifetimes on files that change, with no cache-busting in their names.
• Testing on a host with a different Apache version, where directive support differs.