Chapter 1. Introducing CGI and mod_perl

This chapter provides the foundations on which the rest of the book builds. In this chapter, we give you:

• A history of CGI and the HTTP protocol.

• An explanation of the Apache 1.3 Unix model, which is crucial to understanding how mod_perl 1.0 works.

• An overall picture of mod_perl 1.0 and its development.

• An overview of the difference between the Apache C API, the Apache Perl API (i.e., the mod_perl API), and CGI compatibility. We will also introduce the Apache::Registry and Apache::PerlRun modules.

• An introduction to the mod_perl API and handlers.