mod_php vs cgi vs fast-cgi

php interpreter fastcgi mod-php
Karthick picture Karthick · Oct 17, 2010 · Viewed 35.5k times · Source

I have been trying to understand the exact meaning/purpose of loading php as an apache module vs the rest.

When php is installed as an apache module, what exactly happens? For example, does reading the php-ini file happen every time the php request comes or when the php module is loaded alone?

Answer

Emil Vikström picture Emil Vikström · Oct 17, 2010

php.ini is read when the PHP module is loaded in both mod_php, FastCGI and FPM. In regular CGI mode, the config file have to be read at runtime because there's no preforked processes of any kind.

I think the only real advantage of running PHP as a module inside the web server is that the configuration might be easier. You get a lot better performance when you run it in FastCGI or FPM mode and can use a threaded or evented (instead of forked) Apache, or when you can throw out Apache altogether.

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