An attempt to create adefault skeleton .htaccess file with the very best apache htaccess examples... Updated semi-frequently based on detailed info from theApache htaccess tutorial.

NOTE:
Check out and use theGoogle 404 Error Page.

Sample Htaccess File

If you see any room for improvement, or if you can add something than go ahead and comment and I will definately give it a look for possible inclusion.

MAIN SETTINGS AND OPTIONS

### MAIN SETTINGS AND OPTIONS# Options: ALL,FollowSymLinks,Includes,IncludesNOEXEC,SymLinksIfOwnerMatch

MAIN DEFAULTS

### MAIN DEFAULTSOptions +ExecCGI -IndexesDirectoryIndex index.html index.htm index.phpDefaultLanguage en-USAddDefaultCharset UTF-8ServerSignature Off

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

### ENVIRONMENT VARIABLESSetEnv PHPRC /webroot/includesSetEnv TZ America/Las_VegasSetEnv SERVER_ADMIN webmaster@domain.tld

MIME TYPES

### MIME TYPESAddType video/x-flv .flvAddType application/x-shockwave-flash .swfAddType image/x-icon .ico

FORCE FILE TO DOWNLOAD INSTEAD OF APPEAR IN BROWSER

### FORCE FILE TO DOWNLOAD INSTEAD OF APPEAR IN BROWSERAddType application/octet-stream .mov .mp3 .zip

ERRORDOCUMENTS

### ERRORDOCUMENTS#-> http://askapache.com/htaccess/apache-status-code-headers-errordocument.html
1xx ErrorDocuments
ErrorDocument 100 /error-100/ErrorDocument 101 /error-101/ErrorDocument 102 /error-102/
2xx ErrorDocuments
ErrorDocument 200 /error-200/ErrorDocument 201 /error-201/ErrorDocument 202 /error-202/ErrorDocument 203 /error-203/ErrorDocument 204 /error-204/ErrorDocument 205 /error-205/ErrorDocument 206 /error-206/ErrorDocument 207 /error-207/
4xx ErrorDocuments
ErrorDocument 400 /error-400/ErrorDocument 401 /error-401/ErrorDocument 402 /error-402/ErrorDocument 403 /error-403/ErrorDocument 404 /error-404/ErrorDocument 405 /error-405/ErrorDocument 406 /error-406/ErrorDocument 407 /error-407/ErrorDocument 408 /error-408/ErrorDocument 409 /error-409/ErrorDocument 410 /error-410/ErrorDocument 411 /error-411/ErrorDocument 412 /error-412/ErrorDocument 413 /error-413/ErrorDocument 414 /error-414/ErrorDocument 415 /error-415/ErrorDocument 416 /error-416/ErrorDocument 417 /error-417/ErrorDocument 418 /error-418/ErrorDocument 419 /error-419/ErrorDocument 420 /error-420/ErrorDocument 421 /error-421/ErrorDocument 422 /error-422/ErrorDocument 423 /error-423/ErrorDocument 424 /error-424/ErrorDocument 425 /error-425/ErrorDocument 426 /error-426/
5xx ErrorDocuments
ErrorDocument 500 /error-500/ErrorDocument 501 /error-501/ErrorDocument 502 /error-502/ErrorDocument 503 /error-503/ErrorDocument 504 /error-504/ErrorDocument 505 /error-505/ErrorDocument 506 /error-506/ErrorDocument 507 /error-507/ErrorDocument 508 /error-508/ErrorDocument 509 /error-509/ErrorDocument 510 /error-510/
Add Languages
AddLanguage aa .aa # AfarAddLanguage ab .ab # AbkhazianAddLanguage af .af # AfrikaansAddLanguage am .am # AmharicAddLanguage ar .ar # ArabicAddLanguage as .as # AssameseAddLanguage ay .ay # AymaraAddLanguage az .az # AzerbaijaniAddLanguage ba .ba # BashkirAddLanguage be .be # ByelorussianAddLanguage bg .bg # BulgarianAddLanguage bh .bh # BihariAddLanguage bi .bi # BislamaAddLanguage bn .bn # Bengali; BanglaAddLanguage bo .bo # TibetanAddLanguage br .br # BretonAddLanguage ca .ca # CatalanAddLanguage co .co # CorsicanAddLanguage cs .cs # CzechAddLanguage cy .cy # WelshAddLanguage da .da # DanishAddLanguage de .de # GermanAddLanguage dz .dz # BhutaniAddLanguage el .el # GreekAddLanguage en .en # EnglishAddLanguage eo .eo # EsperantoAddLanguage es .es # SpanishAddLanguage et .et # EstonianAddLanguage eu .eu # BasqueAddLanguage fa .fa # PersianAddLanguage fi .fi # FinnishAddLanguage fj .fj # FijiAddLanguage fo .fo # FaeroeseAddLanguage fr .fr # FrenchAddLanguage fy .fy # FrisianAddLanguage ga .ga # IrishAddLanguage gd .gd # Scots GaelicAddLanguage gl .gl # GalicianAddLanguage gn .gn # GuamniAddLanguage gu .gu # GujaratiAddLanguage ha .ha # HausaAddLanguage he .he # HebrewAddLanguage hi .hi # HindiAddLanguage hr .hr # CroatianAddLanguage hu .hu # HungarianAddLanguage hy .hy # ArmenianAddLanguage ia .ia # InterlinguaAddLanguage id .id # IndonesianAddLanguage ie .ie # lnteriingueAddLanguage ik .ik # KnupiakAddLanguage is .is # IcelandicAddLanguage it .it # ItalianAddLanguage iu .iu # Inuktitut (Eskimo)AddLanguage ja .ja # JapaneseAddLanguage jw .jw # JavaneseAddLanguage ka .ka # GeorgianAddLanguage kk .kk # KazakhAddLanguage kl .kl # GreaenlandicAddLanguage km .km # CambodianAddLanguage kn .kn # KannadaAddLanguage ko .ko # KoreanAddLanguage ks .ks # KashmiriAddLanguage ku .ku # KurdishAddLanguage ky .ky # KirghizAddLanguage la .la # LatinAddLanguage ln .ln # LingalaAddLanguage lo .lo # LaothianAddLanguage lt .lt # LithuainnianAddLanguage lv .lv # Latvian, LettishAddLanguage mg .mg # MalagasyAddLanguage mi .mi # MaoriAddLanguage mk .mk # MacedonianAddLanguage ml .ml # MalayalamAddLanguage mn .mn # MongolianAddLanguage mo .mo # MoldavianAddLanguage mr .mr # MarathiAddLanguage ms .ms # MalayAddLanguage mt .mt # MalteseAddLanguage my .my # BurmeseAddLanguage na .na # NauruAddLanguage ne .ne # NepaliAddLanguage nl .nl # DutchAddLanguage no .no # NorwegianAddLanguage oc .oc # OccitanAddLanguage om .om # (Afan) OromoAddLanguage or .or # OriyaAddLanguage pa .pa # PunjabiAddLanguage pl .po # Polish (use .po instead .pl to avoid problems with perl files)AddLanguage ps .ps # Pashto, PushtoAddLanguage pt .pt # PortugueseAddLanguage qu .qu # OuechuaAddLanguage rm .rm # Rhaeto-RomanceAddLanguage rn .rn # KirundiAddLanguage ro .ro # RomanianAddLanguage ru .ru # RussianAddLanguage rw .rw # Kinya, RwandaAddLanguage sa .sa # SanskritAddLanguage sd .sd # SindhiAddLanguage sg .sg # SangroAddLanguage sh .sh # Serbo-CroatianAddLanguage si .si # SinghaleseAddLanguage sk .sk # SlovakAddLanguage sl .sl # SlovenianAddLanguage sm .sm # SamoanAddLanguage sn .sn # ShonaAddLanguage so .so # SomaliAddLanguage sq .sq # AlbanianAddLanguage sr .sr # SerbianAddLanguage ss .ss # SiswatiAddLanguage st .st # SesothoAddLanguage su .su # SundaneseAddLanguage sv .sv # SwedishAddLanguage sw .sw # SwahiliAddLanguage ta .ta # TamilAddLanguage te .te # TeguluAddLanguage tg .tg # TajikAddLanguage th .th # ThaiAddLanguage ti .ti # TigrinyaAddLanguage tk .tk # TurkmenAddLanguage tl .tl # TagalogAddLanguage tn .tn # SetswanaAddLanguage to .to # TongaAddLanguage tr .tr # TurkishAddLanguage ts .ts # TsongaAddLanguage tt .tt # TatarAddLanguage tw .tw # TwiAddLanguage ug .ug # UigurAddLanguage uk .uk # UkrainianAddLanguage ur .ur # UrduAddLanguage uz .uz # UzbekAddLanguage vi .vi # VietnameseAddLanguage vo .vo # VolapuekAddLanguage wo .wo # WolofAddLanguage xh .xh # XhosaAddLanguage yi .yi # YiddishAddLanguage yo .yo # YorubaAddLanguage za .za # ZhuangAddLanguage zh .zh # ChineseAddLanguage zu .zu # Zulu
SCRIPTING, ACTION, ADDHANDLER
### SCRIPTING, ACTION, ADDHANDLER# Handlers be builtin, included in a module, or added with Action directive# default-handler: default, handles static content (core)#      send-as-is: Send file with HTTP headers (mod_asis)#      cgi-script: treat file as CGI script (mod_cgi)#       imap-file: Parse as an imagemap rule file (mod_imap)#     server-info: Get server config info (mod_info)#   server-status: Get server status report (mod_status)#        type-map: type map file for content negotiation (mod_negotiation)#  fastcgi-script: treat file as fastcgi script (mod_fastcgi)#-> https://www.askapache.com/php/custom-phpini-tips-and-tricks/## PARSE AS CGIAddHandler cgi-script .cgi .pl .spl## RUN PHP AS APACHE MODULEAddHandler application/x-httpd-php .php .htm## RUN PHP AS CGIAddHandler php-cgi .php .htm## CGI PHP WRAPPER FOR CUSTOM PHP.INIAddHandler phpini-cgi .php .htmAction phpini-cgi /cgi-bin/php5-custom-ini.cgi## FAST-CGI SETUP WITH PHP-CGI WRAPPER FOR CUSTOM PHP.INIAddHandler fastcgi-script .fcgiAddHandler php-cgi .php .htmAction php-cgi /cgi-bin/php5-wrapper.fcgi## CUSTOM PHP CGI BINARY SETUPAddHandler php-cgi .php .htmAction php-cgi /cgi-bin/php.cgi## PROCESS SPECIFIC FILETYPES WITH CGI-SCRIPTAction image/gif /cgi-bin/img-create.cgi## CREATE CUSTOM HANDLER FOR SPECIFIC FILE EXTENSIONSAddHandler custom-processor .sspAction custom-processor /cgi-bin/myprocessor.cgi
HEADERS, CACHING AND OPTIMIZATION
### HEADERS, CACHING AND OPTIMIZATION#      300   5 M#     2700  45 M#     3600   1 H#    54000  15 H#    86400   1 D#   518400   6 D#   604800   1 W#  1814400   3 W#  2419200   1 M# 26611200  11 M# 29030400   1 Y (never expire)### HEADER CACHING#-> https://www.askapache.com/htaccess/speed-up-sites-with-htaccess-caching/   Header set Cache-Control "max-age=2592000"   Header set Cache-Control "max-age=604800"   Header set Cache-Control "max-age=600"   Header unset Cache-Control## ALTERNATE EXPIRES CACHINGExpiresActive OnExpiresDefault A604800ExpiresByType image/x-icon A2592000ExpiresByType application/x-javascript A2592000ExpiresByType text/css A2592000ExpiresByType text/html A300   ExpiresActive Off## META HTTP-EQUIV REPLACEMENTS   Header set imagetoolbar "no"
REWRITES AND REDIRECTS
### REWRITES AND REDIRECTS# REQUEST METHODS: GET,POST,PUT,DELETE,CONNECT,OPTIONS,PATCH,PROPFIND,#                  PROPPATCH,MKCOL,COPY,MOVE,LOCK,UNLOCK## REWRITE DEFAULTSRewriteEngine OnRewriteBase /## REQUIRE SUBDOMAINRewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^$RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^subdomain\.domain\.tld$ [NC]RewriteRule ^/(.*)$ http://subdomain.domain.tld/$1 [L,R=301]## SEO REWRITESRewriteRule ^(.*)/ve/(.*)$    $1/voluntary-employee/$2 [L,R=301]RewriteRule ^(.*)/hsa/(.*)$     $1/health-saving-account/$2 [L,R=301]## WORDPRESSRewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f    # Existing FileRewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d    # Existing DirectoryRewriteRule . /index.php [L]## ALTERNATIVE ANTI-HOTLINKINGRewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^$RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^http://(subdomain\.)?domain\.tld/.*$ [NC]RewriteRule ^.*.(bmp|tif|gif|jpg|jpeg|jpe|png)$ - [F]## REDIRECT HOTLINKERSRewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^$RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^http://(subdomain\.)?domain\.tld/.*$ [NC]RewriteRule ^.*\.(bmp|tif|gif|jpg|jpeg|jpe|png)$ http://google.com [R]## DENY REQUEST BASED ON REQUEST METHODRewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} ^(TRACE|TRACK|OPTIONS|HEAD)$ [NC]RewriteRule ^.*$ - [F]## REDIRECT UPLOADSRewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} ^(PUT|POST)$ [NC]RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /cgi-bin/form-upload-processor.cgi?p=$1 [L,QSA]## REQUIRE SSL EVEN WHEN MOD_SSL IS NOT LOADEDRewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on [NC]RewriteRule ^.*$ https://%{SERVER_NAME}%{REQUEST_URI} [R,L]### ALTERNATATIVE TO USING ERRORDOCUMENTRewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-fRewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-dRewriteRule ^.*$ /error.php [L]## SEO REDIRECTSRedirect 301 /2006/oldfile.html http://subdomain.domain.tld/newfile.htmlRedirectMatch 301 /o/(.*)$ http://subdomain.domain.tld/s/dl/$1
AUTHENTICATION AND SECURITY
### AUTHENTICATION AND SECURITY# Require (user|group|valid-user) (username|groupname)## BASIC PASSWORD PROTECTIONAuthType basicAuthName "prompt"AuthUserFile /.htpasswdAuthGroupFile /dev/nullRequire valid-user## ALLOW FROM IP OR VALID PASSWORDRequire valid-userAllow from 192.168.1.23Satisfy Any## PROTECT FILES  Order Allow,Deny  Deny from all## PREVENT HOTLINKINGSetEnvIfNoCase Referer "^http://subdomain.domain.tld/" goodSetEnvIfNoCase Referer "^$" good   Order Deny,Allow   Deny from all   Allow from env=good   ErrorDocument 403 http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/images/logo.gif   ErrorDocument 403 /images/you_bad_hotlinker.gif## LIMIT UPLOAD FILE SIZE TO PROTECT AGAINST DOS ATTACK in bytes, 0-2147483647(2GB)LimitRequestBody 10240000
SSL SECURITY
### SSL SECURITY#-> https://www.askapache.com/htaccess/ssl-example-usage-in-htaccess/## MOST SECURE WAY TO REQUIRE SSL#-> https://www.askapache.com/htaccess/apache-ssl-in-htaccess-examples/SSLOptions +StrictRequireSSLRequireSSLSSLRequire %{HTTP_HOST} eq "domain.tld"ErrorDocument 403 https://domain.tld
SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
### SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION# Heres some awesome htaccess to use when you are developing a site## COMBINED DEVELOPER HTACCESS CODE-USE THIS   Header set Cache-Control "max-age=5"AuthType basicAuthName "Ooops! Temporarily Under Construction..."AuthUserFile /.htpasswdAuthGroupFile /dev/nullRequire valid-user           # password prompt for everyone elseOrder Deny,AllowDeny from allAllow from 192.168.64.5      # Your, the developers IP addressAllow from w3.org            # css/xhtml check jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/Allow from googlebot.com     # Allows google to crawl your pagesSatisfy Any                  # no password required if host/ip is Allowed## DONT HAVE TO EMPTY CACHE OR RELOAD TO SEE CHANGESExpiresDefault A5 #If using mod_expires   Header set Cache-Control "max-age=5"## ALLOW ACCESS WITH PASSWORD OR NO PASSWORD FOR SPECIFIC IP/HOSTSAuthType basicAuthName "Ooops! Temporarily Under Construction..."AuthUserFile /.htpasswdAuthGroupFile /dev/nullRequire valid-user           # password prompt for everyone elseOrder Deny,AllowDeny from allAllow from 192.168.64.5      # Your, the developers IP addressAllow from w3.org            # css/xhtml check jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/Allow from googlebot.com     # Allows google to crawl your pagesSatisfy Any                  # no password required if host/ip is Allowed
Check out the trends on Google forAskApache, Htaccess, Mod_Rewrite, and HTTPD.