Using .htaccess Files with Apache Page 7

Apache provides two main ways of controlling its behaviour on a
per-directory level: containers
in the server-wide configuration files, and .htaccess
files in each directory where they’re needed. Each method has its
advantages and its disadvantages; you, as the Webmaster, need to
balance these against each other to decide what mix of the
techniques is best for your environment.

If you do decide to permit the use of .htaccess
files, be sure to limit them to appropriate areas and improve
your performance by using AllowOverride None
elsewhere. This will save unnecessary disk activity.

Got a Topic You Want Covered?

If you have a particular Apache-related topic that you’d like covered
in a future article in this column, please let me know; drop me
an email at
coar@Apache.Org>.
I do read and answer my email, usually within a few hours
(although a few days may pass if I’m travelling or my mail volume is
‘way up). If I don’t respond within what seems to be a reasonable
amount of time, feel free to ping me again.

About the Author

Ken Coar
is a member of the Apache Group and a director and vice
president of the
Apache Software Foundation.
He is also a core member of the
Jikes open-source Java compiler project, a contributor to the
PHP project, the author of
Apache Server for Dummies, a lead author of
Apache Server Unleashed,
and is currently working with Ryan Bloom on a book for Addison-Wesley
tentatively entitled Apache Module Development in C.
He can be reached via email at
coar@apache.org>.