Disable .htaccess File Creation in WP Statistics to Prevent Unnecessary Costs

As a WordPress administrator, I want to have the ability to disable the creation of .htaccess files by the WP Statistics plugin, so that I can prevent unnecessary costs associated with S3 storage caused by the repeated creation of this file. Additional information

Currently, the WP Statistics plugin attempts to create a .htaccess file to restrict public access to certain directories. This functionality leads to increased costs due to the repetitive creation of the .htaccess file, impacting users regardless of whether they are using Apache or Nginx.

To accommodate all users, it would be beneficial to implement a way to disable this functionality. Possible options include:

• A new setting in the WP Statistics settings page to enable or disable the creation of the .htaccess file.
• A WordPress hook that allows developers to programmatically disable the creation of the .htaccess file.
• An environment variable that can be set to control this behavior without modifying the code directly.

Acceptance criteria

• A method is available for users to disable the creation of the .htaccess file.
• The existing functionality for users who need the .htaccess file remains unchanged.
• Clear documentation is provided on how to use the new functionality.

How To Test

1. Go to the WP Statistics settings page.
2. Look for the option to disable .htaccess file creation.
3. Change the setting to “disabled” and verify the behavior.
4. Test the hook and environment variable to ensure they function as intended.
5. Monitor the number of .htaccess files created in the specified directory before and after the change.

References

1. S3 Uploads GitHub Issue
2. https://github.com/wp-statistics/wp-statistics/issues/569

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