Where does the .htaccess file go?

Place it in the root directory of your website (the same folder as index.html or index.php). Rules apply to that directory and everything below it. The filename starts with a dot and has no extension.

Do I need mod_rewrite enabled?

Yes, the redirect rules require Apache's mod_rewrite module. Most shared hosts enable it by default. If redirects do nothing, ask your host to enable mod_rewrite or check AllowOverride is set to All.

Will GZIP work on every server?

GZIP needs mod_deflate. The generated block is wrapped in an IfModule check so it is skipped gracefully if the module is missing, meaning it will not crash your site.

Can these rules break my site?

A syntax error in .htaccess causes a 500 error. Always back up the existing file first and test in a staging environment. The IfModule guards reduce risk, but verify after deploying.

Does .htaccess work on Nginx?

No. .htaccess is Apache-specific. Nginx ignores it entirely; the equivalent directives live in the server block of your nginx.conf and use different syntax.

.htaccess Generator — Gera Tools

Apache config without the guesswork

The .htaccess Generator builds the Apache directives most sites need — forcing HTTPS, choosing www or non-www, enabling compression and caching, and adding security headers. Hand-written .htaccess rules are unforgiving: one typo returns a 500 error for every visitor. Toggle the rules you want and copy a clean, IfModule-guarded config.

How it works

.htaccess is a per-directory configuration file Apache reads on each request. Redirects use the mod_rewrite engine, which matches conditions and rewrites or redirects the URL:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1 [L,R=301]

RewriteCond checks a condition (here, that the request is not already HTTPS) and RewriteRule performs a permanent (R=301) redirect. Compression (mod_deflate), caching (mod_expires) and header rules (mod_headers) are wrapped in <IfModule> blocks so they are silently skipped when a module is absent — protecting you from accidental 500s.

Tips and notes

Pick one canonical host (either www or non-www) and redirect the other to avoid duplicate-content SEO issues.
Always back up your existing .htaccess before replacing it; a single bad line takes the whole directory down.
These rules are Apache-only. On Nginx, translate them into server block directives instead.