Learn about FastCGI

FastCGI is an interface between Web servers and applications which combines some of the performance characteristics of native Web server modules with the Web server independence of the Common Gateway Interface (CGI) programming interface.

FastCGI is an open extension to CGI that is language independent and is a scalable architecture. FastCGI provides high performance and persistence without the limitations of server-specific APIs.

IBM HTTP Server provides FastCGI support with the mod_fastcgi module. The mod_fastcgi module implements the capability for IBM HTTP Server to manage FastCGI applications and to allow them to process requests.

A FastCGI application typically uses a programming library. IBM HTTP Server does not provide a FastCGI programming library for use by FastCGI applications.

FastCGI applications are not limited to a particular development language. FastCGI application libraries currently exist for Perl, C/C++, Java™, Python and the transmission control layer (TCL).

To receive FastCGI related announcements and notifications of module updates, send mail to fastcgi-announce-request@idle.com with subscribe in the Subject field. To participate in the discussion of mod_fastcgi and FastCGI application development, send mail to fastcgi-developers-request@idle.com with subscribe in the Subject field.

The IBM HTTP Server Fast CGI plug-in provides an alternative method of producing dynamic content.