With an .htaccess file, you can specify how the server that addresses the requests to your Internet sites have to act a number of cases. This is a text file with directives that are executed when someone tries to open your website and what happens next is determined by the content of the file. As an illustration, you could block a certain IP address from opening the site, which means that the server will decline your visitor’s request, or you can forward your domain to an alternative URL, so the server will redirect the visitor to the new web address. Also you can use custom-made error pages or secure any part of your Internet site with a password, if you place an .htaccess file in the correct folder. Many well-known script-driven applications, such as Joomla™, WordPress and Drupal™, use an .htaccess file to operate efficiently.