With an .htaccess file, you can define how the server that deals with the requests to your Internet sites should act in a variety of cases. This is a text file with directives that are executed when an individual tries to open your site and what happens next is determined by the content of the file. As an illustration, you may block a particular IP address from opening the website, so the server will decline your visitor’s request, or you can forward your domain name to an alternative URL, so the server may redirect the visitor to the new web address. You can also use custom-made error pages or secure any part of your website with a password, if you place an .htaccess file inside the correct folder. Many widely used script-driven applications, including Joomla™, WordPress and Drupal™, use an .htaccess file to work correctly.