How to password protect a site with a .htaccess file?

1. Create the .htpasswd file

a) For the entire website

cd ~/example.com

or just a subdirectory

cd ~/example.com/members

b) Check your full path to the domain or subdirectory:

pwd /home/username/example.com 

c) Create the actual .htpasswd file with access for guest1

htpasswd -c /home/username/example.com/.htpasswd guest1

d) The htpasswd process will ask for a password, enter and confirm it. It will look like that:

guest1:$apr1$bkS4zPQl$SyGLA9oP75L5uM5GHpe9A2

e) confirm or correct the permission to 644

chmod 644 .htpasswd

2. Create or modify the .htaccess file

The .htaccess and .htpasswd files need to be in the same directory

Entire Website

#Protect Directory
AuthName "Dialog prompt"
AuthType Basic
AuthUserFile /home/username/example.com/.htpasswd
Require valid-user

a single file

#Protect single file
<Files admin.php>
AuthName "Dialog prompt"
AuthType Basic
AuthUserFile /home/username/example.com/.htpasswd
Require valid-user
</Files>

Multiple files

#Protect multiple files
<FilesMatch "^(admin|staff).php$">
AuthName "Dialog prompt"
AuthType Basic
AuthUserFile /home/username/example.com/.htpasswd
Require valid-user
</FilesMatch>