Notes on Running CGI

Before you can test out the examples which follow with your own two hands, you'll need a development environment which supports running CGI scripts. If you're already a web developer you probably have one or more servers on which you develop pages. You'll need to find out how to run CGI scripts on these servers, unless you already know. Sometimes there is a special directory, such as cgi-bin, within your web space where you must place your Perl programs. The exact procedure will vary from ISP to ISP depending on which web server product they use and how they have it configured.

Sometimes, you're not allowed to run CGI on the web server -- this is a policy decision made by the ISP who runs the server. In this case you'll obviously have to find an alternative server to practice on.

If you can't find a live web server on which to run CGI scripts, you can still "practice" developing these Perl programs on your own personal computer. The trick will be to find and install a web server on your own machine, though it must be a server which supports CGI.

The comprehensive ServerWatch directory contains a summary of available web servers for various popular platforms. Once you download, install, configure, and run (whew!) the web server on your own machine, you can use your browser to "connect to yourself". This way you can run CGI scripts through your own server on your own computer -- a network of one!

CGI and Object Oriented Perl: Background
The Perl You Need to Know
CGI and Object Oriented Perl: Input