Recommended Reading: Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C

Although the Apache server remains the most popular Web server on the Internet, few programmers take advantage of the source code availability and the modular design of Apache, to extend Web server functionality through the Apache API.

Mod_perl, used primarily for enhanced Common Gateway Interface (CGI) performance, makes the Apache API available to both Perl and C programmers. Mod_perl makes developing and installing Apache modules with Perl simple. An O'Reilly release, Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C, shows you how to extend the capabilities of your Web server, regardless of whether you use Perl or C, as your programming language. This book explains the design of Apache, mod_perl, and the Apache API, while demonstrating their use in performing the following tasks:

• Rewriting CGI scripts as Apache modules, to improve performance significantly
• Filtering server-side HTML documents, to embed special markup, or code, similar to server-side includes (SSI)
• Enhancing server log functionality
• Converting file formats spontaneously
• Implementing dynamic navigation bars
• Incorporating database access into CGI scripts
• Customizing access control and authorization to block robots, or using an external database for passwords

"Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C, will change the way you look at Apache," says Linda Mui, O'Reilly editor. "The power of the Apache API is suddenly available to anyone who is reasonably competent in Perl."

For more information on Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C, including the Table of Contents and index see:

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/wrapmod/

For sample chapters, including Chapter 6: Authentication and Authorization, Chapter 7: Handling Other Request Phases, Chapter 8: Customizing the Apache Configuration Process, and Chapter 9: Perl API Reference Guide, see:

http://www.modperl.com/

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