What is F flag in htaccess rewrite rule

The F flag in a RewriteRule stands for [F]orbidden. When this flag is used, Apache immediately stops processing rules and returns a 403 Forbidden status code to the client. Apache HTTP Server

This flag is useful for blocking access to specific files, file types, or directory paths without needing to use a formal Deny directive. Apache HTTP Server

Key Aspects of the [F] Flag

• Implies [L] (Last): When you use [F], an [L] flag is automatically implied, meaning it returns the 403 status immediately and stops further rule evaluation.
• Use with “-“: When using the [F] flag, you typically use a hyphen (-) as the rewrite target instead of a URL. The hyphen tells mod_rewrite not to change the URI, as the request is being blocked anyway.
• Example: To forbid access to all .exe files on your server, you can use:apacheRewriteRule "\.exe" "-" [F] This rule matches any URL ending in .exe and returns a 403 Forbidden error. Apache HTTP Server +2

[F]orbidden vs. [G]one

• [F] (Forbidden): Tells the browser that access to this resource is prohibited (403), regardless of whether it ever existed.
• [G] (Gone): Tells the browser that the resource existed in the past but is no longer available (410). Apache HTTP Server