{"id":13512,"date":"2018-04-20T12:32:34","date_gmt":"2018-04-20T09:32:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/?p=13512"},"modified":"2023-04-10T15:23:00","modified_gmt":"2023-04-10T15:23:00","slug":"htaccess-file-in-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/htaccess-file-in-wordpress\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the .htaccess File in WordPress? Plus How to Use It"},"content":{"rendered":"

You can accomplish a lot in WordPress without ever leaving your dashboard. If you want to get the most out of your website, however, it pays to learn about what\u2019s happening behind the scenes. A vital first step in that process is understanding how to use the .htaccess<\/em> file in WordPress.<\/p>\n

Your WordPress site relies on several important \u2018core files\u2019 to do its job, and the .htaccess<\/em> file is one of them if your host uses the Apache Web Server. While by default it only performs a few tasks related to your site\u2019s permalinks, you can add code snippets to it to customize a range of actions on your site, such as setting up redirects or restricting access to content.<\/p>\n

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In this post, we\u2019re going to introduce you to the .htaccess<\/em> file and explain what it\u2019s all about. Then, you’ll learn how to find the .htaccess<\/em> file, as well as some of the helpful things you can do with it.<\/div><\/div>\n
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\n\t\t \t\tLearn what the .htaccess file is in #WordPress. Plus some cool things you can do with it<\/a>\n\t\t \t<\/div>\n\t\t \t
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What the .htaccess<\/em> file in WordPress is (and how it works)<\/h2>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

The .htaccess<\/em> file is a configuration file for the Apache web server (which is what most WordPress hosts<\/a> use).\u00a0In other words, it contains rules that give your website\u2019s server various instructions. Just about every WordPress site has an .htaccess<\/em> file, located in the \u2018root<\/a>\u2019 or central directory. It\u2019s a hidden file (which is why the filename begins with a period), and has no extension.<\/p>\n

By default, the .htaccess<\/em> file handles one major task:<\/p>\n

It controls how your site\u2019s permalinks<\/a> are displayed.<\/strong> If you make a change to your permalink structure, therefore, the .htaccess<\/em> file updates with new instructions for the server. In fact, sometimes the .htaccess<\/em> file isn\u2019t actually created on your site until the first time you customize your permalinks.<\/p>\n

On many sites, this is all the .htaccess<\/em> file ever does. However, you can also use it to make various tweaks to your site\u2019s functionality. For example, you can set up 301 redirects in the .htaccess<\/em> file. You can also use it to tighten security, such as by restricting access to your site and other core files.<\/p>\n

Additionally, some plugins will add their own rules to your\u00a0.htaccess<\/em> file to help the plugin function. This is especially common with caching<\/a> or security plugins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If this seems a little abstract, don\u2019t worry. You won\u2019t need to understand all the technical details in order to find and make changes to the .htaccess<\/em> file.<\/p>\n

How to locate and edit the .htaccess<\/em> file<\/h2>\n

Before we go any further, we need to discuss a few safety measures. It\u2019s important to understand that making changes to your site\u2019s files directly can be risky. If you aren\u2019t careful, you can end up breaking factors that control your site’s key functionality, or even bring down your site altogether.<\/p>\n

There are a few ways to mitigate these risks:<\/p>\n