htaccess Toolkit

Generate, validate, lint, and explain Apache .htaccess files with security headers, caching, CORS, compression, and more.

Generate

# HTTPS redirect + security headers + compression
python3 scripts/htaccess.py generate --rewrites http-to-https --security strict --compression

# Full production setup
python3 scripts/htaccess.py generate \
  --rewrites http-to-https www-to-non-www \
  --security strict \
  --caching standard \
  --compression \
  --protect directory-listing dotfiles sensitive-files \
  --error-pages 404 500 \
  -o .htaccess

# WordPress hardening
python3 scripts/htaccess.py generate --protect wp-config xmlrpc dotfiles --security strict

# CORS for specific domain
python3 scripts/htaccess.py generate --cors specific --domain example.com

# Custom redirects
python3 scripts/htaccess.py generate --redirects "/old-page -> /new-page" "/blog -> https://blog.example.com"

# Hotlinking protection
python3 scripts/htaccess.py generate --protect hotlinking --domain example.com

Lint

# Basic lint
python3 scripts/htaccess.py lint .htaccess

# Strict mode (exit 1 on errors, CI-friendly)
python3 scripts/htaccess.py lint .htaccess --strict

# Filter by severity
python3 scripts/htaccess.py lint .htaccess --severity error warning

# JSON output
python3 scripts/htaccess.py lint .htaccess -f json

Lint Checks (10 rules)

• rewrite-no-engine — RewriteRule without RewriteEngine On
• duplicate-rewrite-engine — Multiple RewriteEngine On
• redirect-no-slash — Redirect path not starting with /
• missing-l-flag — RewriteRule without [L] flag
• mixed-redirect-rewrite — Mixing Redirect and RewriteRule
• unclosed-ifmodule — Unclosed IfModule blocks
• unclosed-files — Unclosed Files/FilesMatch blocks
• wildcard-cors — Wildcard origin with credentials
• no-hsts — HTTPS without HSTS header
• options-minus-indexes — Directory listing not disabled

Explain

# Human-readable explanation of each directive
python3 scripts/htaccess.py explain .htaccess

List Presets

python3 scripts/htaccess.py presets
python3 scripts/htaccess.py presets -f json

Available Presets

Rewrites: http-to-https, www-to-non-www, non-www-to-www, trailing-slash-add, trailing-slash-remove, remove-extension

Security: basic, strict

Caching: standard, aggressive

CORS: permissive, specific

Protection: directory-listing, dotfiles, sensitive-files, wp-config, xmlrpc, hotlinking

Error Pages: 404, 403, 500, 503