Is it possible to have multiple .htaccess on shared hosting?

Here's the dilemma...

I'm setting up a website that needs its own .htaccess in order for the application on it to work. If I have a shared hosting account, won't this mess up the other hosted sites?

For example:

Let's say my hosting account is set up under http://mainsite.com

Then http://secondarysite.com needs its own .htaccess. This site is aliased to mainsite.com.

How does this work? Will the .htaccess in the root of secondarysite.com affect mainsite.com or any of the others?

Thanks

 

.htaccess is applied only to child directories and files

 

Sorry but I don't know what child directories exactly means (being a webmaster isn't my strongpoint LOL). I'm guessing that means it's only applied to files in its folder and inner files?

i.e. if the htaccess was placed in folder 2...

site.com/folder1/folder2/example

...then it would not affect anything in folder 1... is that correct?

Thanks again

 

Yes exactly. For

/home/user/dir1/dir2/dir3/dir4
/home/user/dir1/dir5/

a .htaccess placed in dir2 will affect only files and directories which are placed in dir2 (dir3,dir4). dir1 and dir5 will remain unaffected

 

Thank you for confirming that aquilax, very much appreciated!