Sebastopol, CA--Web developers and administrators know that the speed of a web server often has very little to do with the server itself. If a site is slow, it's invariably caused by back-end applications like CGI scripts that take longer than they should to run. mod_perl is an Apache server module that provides huge performance benefits for Perl-based CGI scripts. By switching to mod_perl, web programmers and administrators see immediate improvements in efficiency. But optimizing its performance can be tricky. While mod_perl is fairly easy to install and run, tweaking mod_perl and Apache for the best performance and reliability is more difficult. Practical mod_perl by Stas Bekman and Eric Cholet (O'Reilly, US $49.95) is the definitive book about building mod_perl, using it, programming with it, and optimizing it.
In "Practical mod_perl" new users will learn how to quickly and easily get mod_perl compiled and installed. But the primary purpose of the book is to show Perl web developers and administrators how to take full advantage of mod_perl: how to make a mod_perl-enabled web site as fast, flexible, and easily-maintainable as possible. The authors draw from their own personal experience in the field, as well as the combined experience of the mod_perl community, to present a rich and complete picture of how to set up and maintain a successful mod_perl site.
Coauthor Bekman explains that many books are based on the knowledge and expertise of a single person, but "Practical mod_perl" is based on the expertise of the huge community, which encompasses much more than a single person could gain from experience and observation. "This book comprises the knowledge base of the mod_perl community collected over the last five years, combined with the authors' personal experience in the field," Bekman says. "Therefore, it answers almost any questions that mod_perl users have asked over these years."
Coauthor Cholet adds, "Most technical books are focused on a technology: many books about web application development will teach the reader how to program using a particular set of tools. We feel that writing and maintaining a web site is much more than that. Our book aims to include all aspects of development and maintenance."
Readers will find thorough discussions about the Perl programming language, Apache's Perl API, and scripts that run under Apache::Registry. The book covers the following topics, and more:
Configuring mod_perl optimally for your web site
Porting and optimizing programs for a mod_perl environment
Performance tuning: getting the very fastest performance from your site
Controlling and monitoring the server to circumvent crashes and clogs
Integrating with databases efficiently and painlessly
Debugging tips and tricks
Maximizing security
Written for Perl web developers and web administrators, "Practical mod_perl" is an extensive guide to the nuts and bolts of this popular module. From writing and debugging scripts to keeping a server running without failures, the techniques in this book will help readers squeeze every ounce of power out of their servers.
Additional Resources:
"Practical mod_perl" is also available on the O'Reilly Network Safari Bookshelf
Don't miss Stas Bekman's tutorial (July 7) or session (July 9) at the 2003 O'Reilly Open Source Convention in Portland, OR
More information about the book, including Table of Contents, index, author bios, and samples
Practical mod_perl
Stas Bekman and Eric Cholet
ISBN 0-596-00227-0, 893 pages, $49.95 (US), $77.95 (CAN)
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
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