What is Common Gateway Interface (CGI)?
Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is
not a language but the standard protocol for interfering external software with
web server. It allows web sever to pass the client's request to external
software. Because of the type of protocol, CGI programs can be written in many
languages including C, C++, Java, Visual Basic and Perl and it also work in
number of platform including Windows, Mac, Linux, UNIX and OS2.
Limitations of CGI:
- Firstly the main issue for high traffic website using CGI is scalability as
each request from the server involve creating and destruction of new process
which is highly inefficient when script perform initialization routine like
connecting with database.
- Secondly CGI uses File IO as a means of communication between causing
significant increase in overall response time.