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Server application programming interface

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In computing, Server Application Programming Interface (SAPI) is the direct module interface to web servers such as the Apache HTTP Server, Microsoft IIS, and Oracle iPlanet Web Server. Microsoft also uses the term ISAPI, and the defunct Netscape web server used the term NSAPI for the same purpose.[1] In other words, SAPI is actually an application programming interface (API) provided by the web server to help other developers in extending the web server capabilities.

As an example, PHP has a direct module interface called SAPI for different web servers;[2] in case of PHP 5 and Apache 2.0 on Windows, it is provided in form of a DLL file called php5apache2.dll,[3] which is a module that, among other functions, provides an interface between PHP and the web server, implemented in a form that the server understands. This form is what is known as a SAPI.

There are different kinds of SAPIs for various web server extensions. For example, another two SAPIs for the PHP language are Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and command-line interface (CLI).[2][4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Netscape Server Application Programming Interface (NSAPI)". techtarget.com. September 2005. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  2. ^ a b "General Installation Considerations". php.net. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  3. ^ "PHP: Apache 2.x on Microsoft Windows". php.net. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  4. ^ "Command line usage: Introduction". php.net. Retrieved 2013-09-22.