Introduction

elcome to the Netscape FastTrack server and the Internet. Netscape Communications is the premier provider of open software that lets people and companies exchange information and conduct commerce over the Internet and other global networks.

This Programmer's Guide documents how to use the Common Gateway Interface (CGI) with your server and how to create CGI programs. It also discusses how to program C functions and Java applets that you can use in server configuration files to customize the way your server works. For information on JavaScript programming, consult the LiveWire Developer's Guide.

What are the CGI and the server plug-in API?

CGI defines an interface that lets your server run programs, making your server much more interactive with users. Instead of only sending documents, your server (using CGI programs) can process data, calculate information, perform data searches, and so on. To create CGI programs you need to know a programming language such as Java, C or C++, or a scripting language such as Perl.

The server plug-in application programming interface (API) is a set of ANSI C functions and header files that you use to create plug-in functions to insert in the directives in server configuration files. The FastTrack server uses this API to build the regular functions for the directives used in both magnus.conf (the server configuration file) and obj.conf (the object configuration file). These regular functions are described in the Administrator's Guide.

The server uses this API, so by becoming familiar with the API, you can learn more about how the server works. This means you can override the server functionality, add to it, or customize your own functions. For example, you can create functions that use a custom database for access control or you can create functions that create custom log files with special entries.

Conventions used in this book

This section explains the conventions used in this book.

Monospaced font
This typeface is used for any text that appears on the computer screen, or text that you should type. It's also used for file names, propterty names, syntax, and examples.

Boldface
Boldface type is used for button names, any Internet addresses or World Wide Web pages (URLs); names of functions, methods, or directives; and locally important terms (just to help the reader find things).

Italics
Italic type is used to represent variables in syntax definitions, to represent book names, to highlight headings (as in "See also: Conventions used in this book"), and to indicate the first appearance of a term in the text.

Sidebar text
Sidebar text (aside from simple sidebar headings) marks important information. Make sure you read the information before continuing with a task.