An .htaccess file is a text file that includes directives which tell a server how to operate in particular occasions. It must be put in the folder where these directives should be executed. Numerous script-driven apps use this kind of a file to perform efficiently - WordPress and Joomla™, for example. You can use this kind of a file with custom content too and do lots of things - block an IP address, a whole network or certain websites from accessing your site, set customized error pages that shall be displayed rather than the server-generated ones in case a visitor encounters some error on the website, forward a domain or a subdomain to a new web address, set up a password-protected area plus much more. With an .htaccess file, you shall have significantly better control over your web presence.