You can put
Apache httpd configuration changes into both the
httpd.conf file and files called
.htaccess. What's the difference? Which should you use?
If you put directives into
httpd.conf - or any files called up with an
include:
* They are read only when the server restarts
* They are set up by the system administrator
* They can override any settings from a higher directory, even if
allowoverride is set to
none
If you put directives into a
.htaccess file:
* They are read for each and every hit to the directory or its descendants
* They are set up by the web administrator responsible for that directory
* They can only override settings from httpd.conf if
allowoverride is set for it
You may be told that .htaccess is less efficient - true, but in the whole run of things it's only going to take a very little longer, so you normally don't need to be concerned about that. More important is the difference of who administers the settings, and for system administrators to be aware of the additional support that may be required for the web team / web content providers if they're allowed to modify settings via . htaccess.
(written 2007-02-14)
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
A603 - Web Application Deployment - Further httpd Configuration [345] Spotting a denial of service attack - (2005-06-12)
[466] Separating 'per instance' data from binaries and web sites - (2005-10-16)
[526] Apache httpd - serving web documents from different directories - (2005-12-12)
[550] 2006 - Making business a pleasure - (2006-01-01)
[631] Apache httpd to Tomcat - jk v proxy - (2006-03-03)
[649] Denial of Service ''attack'' - (2006-03-17)
[662] An unhelpful error message from Apache httpd - (2006-03-30)
[755] Using different URLs to navigate around a single script - (2006-06-11)
[853] To list a directory under httpd on a web server, or not? - (2006-09-02)
[934] Clustering, load balancing, mod_rewrite and mod_proxy - (2006-11-21)
[1009] Passing GET parameters through Apache mod_rewrite - (2006-12-27)
[1121] Sharing the load with Apache httpd and perhaps Tomcat - (2007-03-29)
[1207] Simple but effective use of mod_rewrite (Apache httpd) - (2007-05-27)
[1351] Compressing web pages sent out from server. Is it worth it? - (2007-09-14)
[1355] .php or .html extension? Morally Static Pages - (2007-09-17)
[1377] Load Balancing with Apache mod_jk (httpd/Tomcat) - (2007-10-02)
[1381] Using a MySQL database to control mod_rewrite via PHP - (2007-10-06)
[1551] Which modules are loaded in my Apache httpd - (2008-02-23)
[1554] Online hotel reservations - Melksham, Wiltshire (near Bath) - (2008-02-24)
[1564] Default file (MiMe types) for Apache httpd and Apache Tomcat - (2008-03-04)
[1566] Strange behaviour of web directory requests without a trailing slash - (2008-03-06)
[1619] User and Group settings for Apache httpd web server - (2008-04-22)
[1636] What to do if the Home Page is missing - (2008-05-08)
[1707] Configuring Apache httpd - (2008-07-12)
[1762] WEB-INF (Tomcat) and .htaccess (httpd) - (2008-08-20)
[1767] mod_proxy and mod_proxy_ajp - httpd - (2008-08-22)
[1778] Pointing all the web pages in a directory at a database - (2008-08-30)
[1939] mod_proxy_ajp and mod_proxy_balancer examples - (2008-12-13)
[1954] mod_rewrite for newcomers - (2008-12-20)
[1955] How to avoid duplicating web page maintainance - (2008-12-20)
[1974] Moving a directory on your web site - (2009-01-03)
[2060] Database connection Pooling, SSL, and command line deployment - httpd and Tomcat - (2009-03-01)
[2272] Monitoring and loading tools for testing Apache Tomcat - (2009-07-07)
[2478] How did I do THAT? - (2009-10-26)
[2900] Redirecting a page - silent, temporary or permanent? - (2010-08-03)
[3133] An image from a website that occasionally comes out as hyroglyphics - (2011-01-14)
[3449] Apache Internal Dummy Connection - what is it and what should I do with it? - (2011-09-19)
[3635] Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_STRING on brand new web site - why? - (2012-03-03)
[3862] Forwarding a whole domain, except for a few directories - Apache http server - (2012-09-17)
[3955] Building up from a small PHP setup to an enterprise one - (2012-12-16)
[4001] Helping search engines with appropriate 400 error codes - (2013-02-11)
[4307] Identifying and clearing denial of service attacks on your Apache server - (2014-09-27)
Some other Articles
Writing terms and conditions for conferences and other eventsBehind the scenesStraight from the .jarCustomer takes over class, and I am delightedhttpd.conf or .htaccess?Wilts and Berks - two conference / training rooms in MelkshamWiltshire - multicultural communityIn answer to 'am I glad I started a blog' ...Save the Train - an updateI'm not the father