An .htaccess file can contain directory-level Apache configuration such as redirects, authentication, IP restrictions, and application rewrite rules.
cPanel features including Directory Privacy and IP Blocker can modify .htaccess. Manual edits can therefore interact with settings created through the cPanel interface.
Before changing a complex .htaccess file, save a copy. A syntax or logic error can cause website failures such as 403 or 500 responses.
