(hypertext access) file is a directory-level configuration file supported by several web servers,
that allows for decentralized management of web server configuration.
The original purpose of .htaccess - reflected in its name - was to allow per-directory access
control, by for example requiring a password to access the content. Nowadays however, the
.htaccess files can override many other configuration settings including content type and
character set, CGI handlers, etc.
