CGI Web Hosting Comparison

by Christopher Prüfer Web hosting expert

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CGI Web Hosting: Providers Compared

Looking for the best web hosting for your CGI-based web applications?

In our comparison, we introduce you to the top providers that specialise in CGI (Common Gateway Interface). CGI allows you to create dynamic content on your websites and develop interactive applications that can run on different servers. Whether you have experience with CGI or are just starting out in development, here you will find the right host that offers you optimal performance, security, and flexibility. Explore the best hosting options and find out which provider best meets your requirements.

What is CGI?

CGI stands for Common Gateway Interface and is a standard method that web servers use to run programs on a webpage. These programs, often referred to as CGI scripts, allow for generating dynamic content and creating interactive web applications.

Key aspects of CGI include:

• Dynamic Content: CGI allows a web server to create dynamic content instead of just delivering static HTML pages. A CGI script can, for example, process user input from forms, perform database queries, or generate personalised content based on user input.
• Platform Independence: CGI is a platform-independent interface, meaning that CGI scripts can be executed in various programming languages (e.g. Perl, Python, C, Bash) and on different operating systems as long as the web server supports CGI.
• Functionality: When a user sends a request to a webpage containing a CGI script, the web server executes the script and passes the user inputs to it as environment variables or via standard input (stdin). The script processes this data and returns the result, which the web server then sends back to the user.
• Security: CGI scripts can pose a security risk if not carefully programmed, as they are executed directly on the server. Therefore, it is important to take security measures such as validating user inputs and avoiding command injections.
• Performance: Traditional CGI scripts have the drawback of starting a new process for each request, which can lead to performance issues during high traffic. Modern alternatives like FastCGI or other server-side technologies have overcome this drawback by allowing a more persistent connection between the web server and the scripts.

In summary, CGI is a method for web servers to generate dynamic content by executing external programs. It is versatile and widely used, especially in older web applications, although today it is often complemented or replaced by more modern technologies.

What requirements must web hosting meet for CGI?

For CGI (Common Gateway Interface) hosting to be suitable, it must meet specific requirements to ensure that CGI scripts can be executed securely and efficiently. Here are the essential requirements:

• CGI Support: The web host must explicitly support CGI. This means the web server is configured to execute CGI scripts. Typically, this is achieved by providing a specific directory like cgi-bin where the scripts are placed.
• Server Environment: As CGI is platform-independent, CGI scripts can be written in various programming languages (e.g. Perl, Python, C, Bash). The hosting service must provide the necessary interpreters or compilers for the programming language you are using.
• Security: CGI scripts can pose a potential security risk as they run on the server. The web host should implement robust security measures such as isolating user accounts (jailing), protection against command injections, and the ability to restrict user permissions to minimise damage in case of compromise.
• Directory Protection: The web host should offer the ability to secure the CGI directory (cgi-bin) and other script directories with password protection or other security measures to prevent unauthorised access.
• Process and Resource Management: Since CGI starts a new process on the server for each request, effective resource management is essential in web hosting. This means the server must be capable of handling a large number of processes without compromising performance.
• FastCGI Support: Some web hosts provide support for FastCGI, an enhanced version of CGI that offers better performance by keeping scripts in memory instead of restarting them for each request. This is particularly important if you expect a high volume of requests.
• Access Rights and File Permissions: The web host should allow you to adjust file permissions (e.g. CHMOD settings) to ensure only authorised users can access and execute the scripts.
• Error and Log Management: CGI scripts can produce errors that may cause issues on your website. Therefore, the hosting service should provide access to detailed error logs to help you quickly identify and resolve problems.

By ensuring the web host meets these requirements, you can ensure that your CGI-based applications run stably, securely, and efficiently on the server.