Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C

This is the home site of Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C, a book about creating Web server modules using the Apache API, written by Lincoln Stein and Doug MacEachern. The book (ISBN 1-56592-567-X) is published by O'Reilly & Associates and was released on April 2nd, 1999. It can be purchased online from O'Reilly and Amazon.com.

Online Chapters

• Chapter 1 - Server-Side Programming with Apache
• Chapter 2 - A First Module
• Chapter 3 - The Apache Module Architecture and API
• Chapter 4 - Content Handlers
• Chapter 5 - Maintaining State
• Chapter 6 - Authentication & Authorization
• Chapter 7 - Handling Other Request Phases
• Chapter 8 - Customizing the Apache Configuration Process
• Chapter 9 - Perl API Reference Guide
• Chapter 10 - C API and Reference Guide, Part I
• Chapter 11 - C API and Reference Guide, Part II

Source Code

We have ported several Perl modules from the book to C modules that are not included in the book.

Online demos

Apache::Magick

From Chapter 4: Content Handlers, a cool demo of Apache::Magick, an automatic image file format conversion module.

TreeBrowser

From Chapter 4: Content Handlers, Apache::TreeBrowser, a virtual document tree managed by clever use of the path() field.

Hangman

From Chapter 5: Maintaining State, check out the on-line hangman games.

Gender-Based Authentication

From Chapter 6: Authentication & Authorization, a custom authorization module that authorizes on the basis of the apparent gender of the user name. To test this module, try to fetch the URL http://www.modperl.com/ladies_only. When the authorization dialog comes up, first try a few men's names, like Fred or James (with any non-empty password). Then try a woman's name, like Wendy. After successfully authenticating, you will need to exit the browser if you wish to try again. Otherwise the browser will remember your username and password and you will not see the authentication dialog again.

Other demos

Check out the new Apache::MP3 module, which allows you to stream MP3 files and construct playlists. Turn your Web server into your very own MP3.com (for personal use only, of course)!

Source can be found in Lincoln's directory on CPAN.

See also:

• The Apache Web Server homepage
• The mod_perl homepage
• Lincoln's new book Network Programming with Perl
• Lincoln's Apache Security Tutorial
• Lincoln's Perl Tutorial Slides and Demos
• Andrew Ford's mod_perl reference card
• Related Books