Why are my .htaccess rules not taking effect?

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Apache .htaccess Generator

Generate Apache .htaccess rules for HTTPS redirection, custom 404 pages, gzip caching, and security headers.

Canonical RedirectsForce HTTPS (301 Permanent)

WWW Handling:

Security DirectivesPrevent Directory Browsing (Options -Indexes)Block .env, .git, .sql file access

Performance & CachingEnable Gzip Compression (mod_deflate)Browser Caching Headers (mod_expires)

.htaccess

# =========================================================================
# Apache .htaccess Configuration
# Generated by OpsKitTools .htaccess Generator
# =========================================================================

# Disable directory listings for enhanced security
Options -Indexes

# Custom Error Documents
ErrorDocument 404 /404.html
ErrorDocument 500 /500.html

# Block access to sensitive configuration, backup, and environment files
<FilesMatch "^\.(env|git|htaccess|htpasswd|ini|log|sh|bak|sql)$">
  Require all denied
</FilesMatch>

# Rewrite Engine Directives
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
  RewriteEngine On
  RewriteBase /

  # Force HTTPS redirection
  RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
  RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

  # Redirect WWW to Non-WWW
  RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.(.+) [NC]
  RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%1/$1 [L,R=301]

</IfModule>

# Compress Text, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and XML
<IfModule mod_deflate.c>
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/json
</IfModule>

# Browser Caching via mod_expires
<IfModule mod_expires.c>
  ExpiresActive On
  ExpiresDefault "access plus 1 month"
  ExpiresByType text/css "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType application/javascript "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/png "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/svg+xml "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType font/woff2 "access plus 1 year"
</IfModule>

About Apache .htaccess Generator

The Apache .htaccess configuration file controls directory-level directives, URL rewrites, and access controls. Use this tool to generate tested mod_rewrite rules, browser caching directives (mod_expires), and security headers without memorizing intricate Apache syntax.

How to Use This Tool

Select your required rewrite rules (Force HTTPS, Non-WWW to WWW or WWW to Non-WWW).
Toggle security features: Prevent directory listing (Options -Indexes), block sensitive files (.env, .git), and protect against hotlinking.
Set custom error page paths (404, 500) and browser caching headers for web fonts and static images.
Copy the generated directives and save them as '.htaccess' in your web root directory.

Practical Examples & Use Cases

Force HTTPS and Disable Directory Indexing

Expected Output

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
Options -Indexes

Enforces 301 permanent redirects to HTTPS and prevents unauthorized directory file browsing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ensure that 'AllowOverride All' is enabled in your main Apache configuration ('httpd.conf' or 'apache2.conf') for your document root directory.

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