What is CGI?

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CGI (Common Gateway Interface) is a method of running programs on a server over the web. This is different to PHP and ASP in that it does not have to load and interpret a “script”, and is not limited by the technical capabilities of a scripting platform. In fact, the scripting engines for PHP and ASP are CGI applications themselves. As such, CGI provides a way to run web applications requiring maximum performance and efficiency, and you will find it used on most enterprise-scale sites such as popular sites like eBay, Google, and Yahoo.

Due to the less restrictive nature of CGI applications, some web hosts (especially those offering cheaper packages) do not provide CGI support for security reasons. In addition to this, setting up and installing CGI applications can be more complex, especially if you have never installed one before.

For information on installing and uploading the Zoom CGI, please refer to "Additional notes for uploading CGI".