WCTO:Dev 2012: Getting started with .htaccess for WordPress

An introduction on how to configure your .htaccess file to do more than what WordPress provides by default. The talk will cover basics like setting up a preferred URL, and redirecting old page URLs for better SEO. How to optimize your site's files using gzip will also be covered, as well as preventing image hot linking, and more. A sample .htaccess file will be provided to all attendees. A useful introduction to a very important file for any shared hosting environment.

Transcript

1. November 3, 2012
   Getting started with .htaccess
   for WordPress
   WordCamp Toronto: Developers 2012
   

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2. Shannon Smith
   Web Developer at Café Noir Design
   www.cafenoirdesign.com
   @cafenoirdesign
   

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3. What We’ll Cover
   ✤ Introduction
   ✤ Getting Started
   ✤ .htaccess for SEO
   ✤ .htaccess for Security
   ✤ .htaccess for Optimization
   ✤ Resources
   ✤ Closing
   

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4. Introduction
   

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5. What Is an .htaccess File?
   .htaccess files (or “distributed
   configuration files”) provide a way
   to make configuration changes on
   a per-directory basis
   Official Apache Documentation
   

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6. In English, Please?
   .htaccess is a configuration file for
   use on web servers running the
   Apache Web Server software
   

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7. Why Do We
   Care?
   Photo: Linus Bohman
   

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8. What Does It Look Like?
   

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9. Where Is It?
   

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10. When Can We Use .htaccess ?
    ✤ Apache Web Server software
    ✤ Linux/Unix server
    ✤ Shared Hosting
    

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11. But...Measure Twice, Cut Once
    Photo:Kari
    

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12. Getting Started
    

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13. Basic Syntax
    

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14. Commenting
    

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15. Enable Basic Rewriting
    

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16. Allow URL Rewriting
    

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17. Rewrite Base
    

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18. Match a Regex String
    

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19. Use Conditionals
    

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20. Rewrite URLs
    

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21. A Basic mod_rewrite Command
    RewriteRule Pattern Substitution [Flag(s)]
    

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22. That’s It!
    

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23. Troubleshooting
    

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24. Why Isn’t It
    Working?
    “I don’t see
    anything."
    Your Text Editor
    Photo:Emilio Labrador
    

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25. Why Isn’t It
    Working?
    “Are you sure you
    spelled that
    correctly?"
    Your English Teacher
    

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26. Why Isn’t It
    Working?
    “You can’t do
    that."
    Apache
    Photo:Achim Hepp
    

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27. Why Isn’t It
    Working?
    “Welcome."
    The Infinite Loop
    Photo:smittenkittenorig
    

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28. Why Isn’t It
    Working?
    “We don’t allow
    that for security
    reasons".
    Your Hosting Provider
    Photo:Sam Howzit
    

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29. .htaccess for SEO
    

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30. Basic Rules of
    SEO
    ✤ Don’t repeat yourself
    ✤ Don’t repeat yourself
    ✤ Don’t repeat yourself
    Photo: jerebu
    

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31. Redirect a Single Page
    

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32. To www or Not to www
    

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33. Redirect Additional Domain Names
    

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34. .htaccess for Security
    

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35. Hide Your Files
    

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36. Hide Your Server Information
    

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37. Block Bad Referring Sites
    

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38. Block Site Rippers
    

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39. .htaccess for Optimization
    

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40. Prevent Image Hotlinking
    

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41. File Compression
    

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42. Set Caching Limits
    

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43. Use Asset Versioning
    
    

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44. Turn Off ETags
    

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45. Resources
    

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46. Resources
    ✤ Official Apache Documentation
    http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/howto/htaccess.html
    ✤ .htaccess made easy by Jeff Starr
    http://htaccessbook.com
    ✤ Protect your WordPress site with .htaccess (.net magazine)
    http://www.netmagazine.com/tutorials/protect-your-wordpress-site-htaccess
    ✤ Comprehensive guide to .htaccess
    http://www.javascriptkit.com/howto/htaccess.shtml
    ✤ The Ultimate Guide to .htaccess Files (Nettuts)
    http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/other/the-ultimate-guide-to-htaccess-files/
    ✤ Practical Mod_Rewrite for Web Developers
    http://www.snipe.net/2009/02/practical-mod_rewrite/
    ✤ mod_rewrite Cheat Sheet
    http://www.addedbytes.com/cheat-sheets/mod_rewrite-cheat-sheet/
    ✤ Stupid htaccess Tricks
    http://perishablepress.com/stupid-htaccess-tricks/
    

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47. Closing
    

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48. Shannon Smith
    Web Developer at Café Noir Design
    https://speakerdeck.com/u/cafenoirdesign
    www.cafenoirdesign.com
    @cafenoirdesign
    

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