Description
Book SynopsisApache is the most popular Web server on the Internet because it is free, reliable, and extensible. The availability of the source code and the modular design of Apache makes it possible to extend Web server functionality through the Apache API. For the most part, however, the Apache API has only been available to C programmers, and requires rebuilding the Apache server from source. mod_perl, the popular Apache module used primarily for enhanced CGI performance, changed all that by making the Apache API available to Perl programmers. With mod_perl, it becomes simple to develop Apache modules with Perl and install them without having to rebuild the Web server. Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C teaches you how to extend the capabilities of your Web server regardless of whether you use Perl or C as your programming language. The book explains the design of Apache, mod_perl, and the Apache API. It then demonstrates how to use them to perform for tasks like the following: Rewriting CGI scripts as Apache modules to vastly improve performance Server-side filtering of HTML documents, to embed special markup or code (much like SSI) Enhancing server log functionality Converting file formats on the fly Implementing dynamic navigation bars Incorporating database access into CGI scripts Customizing access control and authorization to block robots or to use an external database for passwords The authors are Lincoln Stein and Doug MacEachern. Lincoln is the successful author of How to Set Up and Maintain a World Wide Web Site and the developer of the widely used Perl CGI.pm module. Doug is a consultant and the creator of the innovative mod_perl Apache module.
Table of ContentsPreface 1. Server-Side Programming with Apache Web Programming Then and Now The Apache Project The Apache C and Perl APIs Ideas and Success Stories 2. A First Module Preliminaries Directory Layout Structure Installing mod_perl "Hello World" with the Perl API "Hello World" with the C API Instant Modules with Apache::Registry Troubleshooting Modules 3. The Apache Module Architecture and API How Apache Works The Apache Life Cycle The Handler API Perl API Classes and Data Structures 4. Content Handlers Content Handlers as File Processors Virtual Documents Redirection Processing Input Apache::Registry Handling Errors Chaining Content Handlers Method Handlers 5. Maintaining State Choosing the Right Technique Maintaining State in Hidden Fields Maintaining State with Cookies Protecting Client-Side Information Storing State at the Server Side Storing State Information in SQL Databases Other Server-Side Techniques 6. Authentication and Authorization Access Control, Authentication, and Authorization Access Control with mod_perl Authentication Handlers Authorization Handlers Cookie-Based Access Control Authentication with the Secure Sockets Layer 7. Other Request Phases The Child Initialization and Exit Phases The Post Read Request Phase The URI Translation Phase The Header Parser Phase Customizing the Type Checking Phase Customizing the Fixup Phase The Logging Phase Registered Cleanups Handling Proxy Requests Perl Server-Side Includes Subclassing the Apache Class 8. Customizing the Apache Configuration Process Simple Configuration with the PerlSetVar Directive The Apache Configuration Directive API Configuring Apache with Perl Documenting Configuration Files 9. Perl API Reference Guide The Apache Request Object Other Core Perl API Classes Configuration Classes The Apache::File Class Special Global Variables, Subroutines, and Literals 10. C API Reference Guide, Part I Which Header Files to Use? Major Data Structures Memory Management and Resource Pools The Array API The Table API Processing Requests Server Core Routines 11. C API Reference Guide, Part II Implementing Configuration Directives in C Customizing the Configuration Process String and URI Manipulation File and Directory Management Time and Date Functions Message Digest Algorithm Functions User and Group ID Information Routines Data Mutex Locking Launching Subprocesses A. Standard Noncore Modules B. Building and Installing mod_perl C. Building Multifile C API Modules D. Apache:: Modules Available on CPAN E. Third-Party C Modules F. HTML::Embperl-Embedding Perl Code in HTML
