What is .htaccess in apache?

The .htaccess is Apache configuration file.which is used to control many feature on Apache web server.
Features are follows

• password protect directories
• enable server side includes
• block users by IP address among other things
• Create meaning full URL
• Change in php.ini settings
• Forbidding Files
• Checking access rights
• show different pages depending on the IP address:
• process Apache errors (403,404,405)

and many more.

The file name is exactly “dot” htaccess. It must be in the UNIX format (ASCII mode).