Htaccessstyle

Htaccessstyle is a term used to describe a set of conventions and best practices for writing and organizing Apache HTTP Server's .htaccess files. It is not an official specification; rather, it reflects community-driven norms aimed at making rules predictable, maintainable, and secure across projects.

The primary goals are readability, reliability, and performance. Proponents encourage documenting changes with inline comments, grouping related rules, and minimizing the use of per-directory directives. Since .htaccess files are read on every request, htaccessstyle also emphasizes efficient rules and avoiding unnecessary rewrites.

Core conventions include starting with essential directives (for example, ensuring RewriteEngine is enabled when mod_rewrite is used), clearly separating sections, using rewrite conditions judiciously, and implementing canonical redirects with 301 status. It recommends avoiding redirects that can loop, testing changes with apachectl -t or apache2ctl configtest, and keeping rules free of side effects. It also stresses security-oriented practices, such as restricting access to sensitive files and directories using Require all denied or Files and Location blocks where appropriate, and avoiding information leakage through verbose error messages.

Adoption and tools: Several editors offer syntax highlighting for .htaccess, and there are linters and validators that help enforce htaccessstyle conventions. Teams may share templates or snippet libraries to promote consistency. The lack of an official standard means adherence varies by host and project; some hosting environments restrict or validate .htaccess content to compatible rules.

See also .htaccess, mod_rewrite, Apache configuration.