Is CGI worth learning?

[kikelinus]

I was wondering...should anyone bother to learn CGI (eg using perl)?

I mean, there are other tools that seem to make this job easier, like PHP, ASP, Coldfusion, etc.

Is there something CGI can offer that these other tools can't?

Thanks.

[mendhak]

Advantages

Adv/Disadv of Perl

I guess it's main advantage is that it's supported almost everywhere. But then again, PHP is now becoming one of the most popular languages today. IMEO, you ought to go for PHP. It's free too.



Are you just wondering whether it should be learned, or are you looking to learn a new server side language?

[kikelinus]

I already know ASP, and was just wondering if I should waste my time learnin it or not.

[mendhak]

PHP. CGI isn't worth it.

[jeffmott]

It all depends on what your aspiration is. If you plan on being a professional Web developer/programmer, knowing CGI is a must. CGI is the most powerful of them all, since you are able to use a general purpose programming language. There is nothing that can be done in PHP, ASP, or ColdFusion that cannot be done in CGI. However, if you do plan on doing this professionaly, you should learn the others as well simply for the large role they do play on the Web.

If you build sites as a hobby and just want to be able to add a little interactivity, PHP is probably your best choice since it is simpler than CGI. But being simpler it is also more limited. But these are limitations you might not even notice if you only work as a hobby.

[JoshT]

ASP or PHP work exactly like CGI anyway. PHP can be run as CGI. All ASP is is a COM based wrapper around CGI principles - you should already know most of it.

[jeffmott]

JoshT
ASP or PHP work exactly like CGI anyway

I can only assume you havn't taken the time to truly learn them, otherwise you would see the difference. Any language is the same on the very basic level (e.g., if/else, for/while, perform the same function in every language, though the syntax may change slightly). But once you get into the meat of each language you'll find there are very real differences.

You are right though that ASP and PHP are based on CGI principles. Their fundamental difference is they hide as many technical details as possible from the developer, which both simplifies and limits the language/interface.

[JoshT]

Originally posted by jeffmott
I can only assume you havn't taken the time to truly learn them, otherwise you would see the difference. Any language is the same on the very basic level (e.g., if/else, for/while, perform the same function in every language, though the syntax may change slightly). But once you get into the meat of each language you'll find there are very real differences.

But CGI is not a language - their is no language to learn, just the guts of HTTP and your web server of choice - and you you truly learn ASP, you'd know that that isn't a language either.

[jeffmott]

When talking about learning CGI (or ASP), we're generally talking about a language used to write a program for it. Otherwise your own statement makes even less sense, saying that PHP (a language) works exactly like CGI (a network protocol). Perhaps you should be technically correct in your own posts before you complain about others.

[JoshT]

I don't feel like arguing, so I'll agree with you completely.