I'm curious about the Common Gateway Interface (CGI). Can anyone explain what it is and if it's still worth learning or used in modern web development?
3 Answers
CGI is essentially a method for web servers to execute scripts—working with any programming language that can read from standard input and write to standard output. Back in the '90s, it was a go-to for building web backends because very few languages had web support at that time. However, it's mainly a relic now and not something you'd want to use for serious projects today.
If a URL contains something like `/cgi-bin/foo.cgi`, it may still use CGI. Examples include Debian's bug tracking and CVE databases. These older scripts likely haven't been updated since the '90s and could be vulnerable to security issues like Shellshock. While they hold relevance in security discussions, they're not advisable for new work since modern frameworks are way easier and safer to use.
CGI mainly sends HTTP request data via environment variables to backend programs. It was briefly a standard for server-side scripting, but was quickly overshadowed by languages like PHP and ASP that could interact with servers more seamlessly. You technically *can* create a site with CGI, but honestly, it's probably best to avoid it for new projects.
I see your point, but some older systems like Bugzilla are still actively maintained, so it's essential to consider that not all CGI scripts are outdated or insecure.