Technical SEO
Htaccess File
The .htaccess file is a directory-level configuration file used by Apache web servers to control server behavior for the directory it is placed in, including 301/302 redirects, URL rewriting, access control, MIME type definitions, and security headers. It is one of the most powerful files for technical SEO configuration on Apache-based servers.
.htaccess rules are validated using Apache's mod_rewrite tester tools and by testing redirect behavior with Screaming Frog or the Redirect Checker. Google Search Console's Coverage report confirms that .htaccess-implemented redirects are correctly transferring PageRank and that protected pages are inaccessible to crawlers as intended.
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Related Terms
Technical SEO
Code 301
A status code indicating that a web page has been permanently redirected.
Technical SEO
Gzip Compression
Refers to the process of combining and compressing similar indexes, repeated texts, and spaces in a source file.
Technical SEO
Robots.txt File
A plain-text file at the root of a domain that uses the Robots Exclusion Protocol to tell compliant crawlers which paths they may or may not request.
Technical SEO
SSL Certificate
Refers to a digital certificate that establishes a secure connection between websites and users.