What is an .htpasswd Generator?

An **Htpasswd Generator** is a tool designed to create the encrypted text entries required for Apache's Basic Authentication system. When you want to password-protect a specific directory on your website (like an admin area or a staging site), you use two files: `.htaccess` and `.htpasswd`.

The `.htpasswd` file stores the usernames and hashed passwords. You cannot simply write the password in plain text; the server will not recognize it. This tool takes your plain text password and converts it into the specific hash format (like Bcrypt or MD5) that the web server understands.

How to Password Protect a Directory (Step-by-Step)

Follow these steps to lock down a folder on your website:

1. Create the .htpasswd File

Use the tool above to generate your username and password string (e.g., `admin:$2y$10$....`). Create a file named `.htpasswd` (note the dot at the start) and upload it to a secure folder on your server.

Security Tip: It is best practice to place this file **outside** your public `public_html` or `www` folder so browsers cannot access it directly.

2. Configure the .htaccess File

Navigate to the directory you want to protect. Create or edit the `.htaccess` file in that folder and add the following code:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Restricted Area"
AuthUserFile /home/username/safe_directory/.htpasswd
Require valid-user

AuthType Basic: Tells the server to use basic HTTP authentication.
AuthName: The message displayed to the user in the login popup.
AuthUserFile: The **absolute system path** to your `.htpasswd` file. This is NOT a URL.
Require valid-user: Allows anyone listed in the file to enter.

Which Algorithm Should You Choose?

Our tool offers three encryption methods. Here is how to choose:

1. Bcrypt (Recommended)

Status: The modern standard.
Compatibility: Apache 2.4 and later.
Security: Very High. Bcrypt is resistant to brute-force attacks because it is slow by design. If your hosting provider uses a modern server setup, always use this.

2. SHA-1

Status: Legacy.
Compatibility: Apache, Nginx.
Security: Medium. While faster than Bcrypt, SHA-1 is considered cryptographically weak by modern standards. Use this only if you are on an older server or using Nginx which specifically requires this format.

3. Crypt (Unix)

Status: Obsolete.
Compatibility: Almost universal (Windows, Linux, Old Apache).
Security: Low. It only uses the first 8 characters of your password. Only use this if absolutely necessary for very old systems.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

Error 500 (Internal Server Error): This usually happens if the AuthUserFile path in your `.htaccess` is incorrect. Double-check your absolute server path (you can ask your hosting provider for this).
Login Popup Keep Reappearing: This means the password in the `.htpasswd` file doesn't match what you are typing, or the file is corrupted. Generate a new entry and replace the file content.