mod_python is an Apache module that embeds the Python interpreter within the server. With mod_python you can write web-based applications in Python that will run many times faster than traditional CGI and will have access to advanced features such as ability to retain database connections and other data between hits and access to Apache internals.
Adding permission to serve the htdocs directory
In some (sane) Linux distributions (like SuSE 9.0) serving directories other than the
document-root “/srv/www/htdocs” with Apache is switched off by default for
security reasons in “/etc/httpd/httpd.conf” (or for Apache2 “/etc/apache2/httpd.conf”):
# forbid access to the entire filesystem by default <Directory /> Options None AllowOverride None Order deny,allow Deny from all </Directory>
To allow Apache to serve directories outside of the document root you have to add these
lines to “/etc/httpd/httpd.conf” (in SuSE it is recommended to create a new “http.conf.local” and
include this file in “/etc/sysconfig/apache2″):
Alias /wiki/ "/usr/share/moin/htdocs/" <Directory "/usr/share/moin/htdocs/"> Order deny,allow Allow from all </Directory> ScriptAlias /mywiki "/usr/share/moin/mywiki/cgi-bin/moin.cgi" <Directory "/usr/share/moin/mywiki/cgi-bin"> Order deny,allow Allow from all </Directory>
