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Sever-Side Templates
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Published: November 1, 2006
Web templates are used to separate the content of an HTML document from its presentation. They are ideal for producing what Web publishers call cookie-cutter Web sites, which are intended for mass production.
There are two ways in which these documents may be delivered: either through static HTML or dynamic Web pages. Static Web templates are pure HTML content, so they are accessible on any Web browser or platform. These are ideal for unchanging content.
Dynamic Web templates, on the other hand, are best suited for consistently and frequently updated information, such as Web sites for news outlets. Unlike static templates, dynamic templates are uniquely produced by a template engine. They may be served either through the client-side (the client being the person viewing the content) or the server-side (a special server that houses and generates content).
The Server-Side Model and Dynamic Web Pages
When a dynamic HTML document is requested, it either is generated on the client-side or the server-side. When a browser requests a server-sided document, it is sent to the server as a set of instructions. These instructions tell the server to generate HTML documents and then send the results to the Web browser. The HTML is dynamically generated on request. Sometimes, when the pages are more complicated, the server must access special programs called scripts. They collect data and then form the dynamic content.
Take a look at the following for a step-by-step process for server-side documents, as provided by vbip.com.
1. A Web author writes a set of instructions for creating HTML and saves these instructions within a file.
2. When a user types a page request into their browser, the request is passed from the browser to the server.
3. The Web server locates this file of instructions.
4. The Web server follows the instructions in order to create a stream of HTML.
5. The Web server sends the newly created HTML stream back across the network to the browser.
6. The browser processes the HTML and displays the page.
Advantages of the Server-Side Model
Server-side scripting mean generating documents faster since the server does all the work. When the browser bears the brunt of generating documents – especially those with dynamic content – the results tend to be a little slower. Because everything takes place on the server, documents containing sensitive information are safer. Different Web browsers also are more likely to support server-side scripting language and therefore more likely to display server-side generate documents. This is particularly advantageous for older browsers.
Server-Side Technology
ASP (Active Server Pages): This program, developed by Microsoft, interprets a variety of scripting languages, like Java Script, PerlScipt and VBScript, in order to generate dynamic content. The module attached to the server processes the scripting language and turns it into HTML before sending it back to the browser. ASP is utilized in such requests as database access, e-mail, graphics and networking. It is accessible on many different Web browsers.
Cold Fusion: This programming language is similar to ASP. Like ASP, it is accessible by a variety of Web browsers and is attached to the server. The difference is that, where ASP uses programming language and objects, ColdFusion relies on proprietary set of tags, according to vbip.com. This not only makes the language more functional, but also more expensive – running the gamut of about $615 for standard versions to more than $5,500 for advanced versions.
Common Gateway Interface (CGI): This module is used to generate dynamic Web content. However, unlike many other programs, CGI adds an extra step. Rather than transferring a request directly to the server, CGI passes a request to another program like PerlScript, C or C++. This scripting language then produces the HTML, which is sent to the browser as a dynamic Web page. In addition to the inclusion of another step, there are not many scripting languages capable of working alongside CGI (other than the ones mentioned above), but it is still accessible on a variety of browsers.
JavaServer Pages (JSP): This combines markup languages, like HTML and XML, with Java to generate dynamic content. It is fast and powerful. The code is portable between servers.
PHP (PHP HyperText Preprocessor): This is an open-source and cross-platform scripting language used to generate dynamic content. A request involving PHP is directed to the server, which then interprets the language before sending the results back to the browser.
Sources:
Dynamic Web Page. 22 October 2006. Wikipedia. 31 October 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/_dynamic_web_page/
Getting Started with ASP.net. Oleg Gdalevich. 31 October 2006. http://vbip.com/books/
Server-Side Scripting. 1 October 2006. Wikipedia. 31 October 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/server_side_scripting /
Sundarapperuma, Nadil. Creating Dynamic Web Pages Using JSP. 31 October 2006. http://cs.umd.edu/.../fall2003/cmsc424-0101/proj_r esources/CreatingJSP.pdf/
There are two ways in which these documents may be delivered: either through static HTML or dynamic Web pages. Static Web templates are pure HTML content, so they are accessible on any Web browser or platform. These are ideal for unchanging content.
Dynamic Web templates, on the other hand, are best suited for consistently and frequently updated information, such as Web sites for news outlets. Unlike static templates, dynamic templates are uniquely produced by a template engine. They may be served either through the client-side (the client being the person viewing the content) or the server-side (a special server that houses and generates content).
The Server-Side Model and Dynamic Web Pages
When a dynamic HTML document is requested, it either is generated on the client-side or the server-side. When a browser requests a server-sided document, it is sent to the server as a set of instructions. These instructions tell the server to generate HTML documents and then send the results to the Web browser. The HTML is dynamically generated on request. Sometimes, when the pages are more complicated, the server must access special programs called scripts. They collect data and then form the dynamic content.
Take a look at the following for a step-by-step process for server-side documents, as provided by vbip.com.
1. A Web author writes a set of instructions for creating HTML and saves these instructions within a file.
2. When a user types a page request into their browser, the request is passed from the browser to the server.
3. The Web server locates this file of instructions.
4. The Web server follows the instructions in order to create a stream of HTML.
5. The Web server sends the newly created HTML stream back across the network to the browser.
6. The browser processes the HTML and displays the page.
Advantages of the Server-Side Model
Server-side scripting mean generating documents faster since the server does all the work. When the browser bears the brunt of generating documents – especially those with dynamic content – the results tend to be a little slower. Because everything takes place on the server, documents containing sensitive information are safer. Different Web browsers also are more likely to support server-side scripting language and therefore more likely to display server-side generate documents. This is particularly advantageous for older browsers.
Server-Side Technology
ASP (Active Server Pages): This program, developed by Microsoft, interprets a variety of scripting languages, like Java Script, PerlScipt and VBScript, in order to generate dynamic content. The module attached to the server processes the scripting language and turns it into HTML before sending it back to the browser. ASP is utilized in such requests as database access, e-mail, graphics and networking. It is accessible on many different Web browsers.
Cold Fusion: This programming language is similar to ASP. Like ASP, it is accessible by a variety of Web browsers and is attached to the server. The difference is that, where ASP uses programming language and objects, ColdFusion relies on proprietary set of tags, according to vbip.com. This not only makes the language more functional, but also more expensive – running the gamut of about $615 for standard versions to more than $5,500 for advanced versions.
Common Gateway Interface (CGI): This module is used to generate dynamic Web content. However, unlike many other programs, CGI adds an extra step. Rather than transferring a request directly to the server, CGI passes a request to another program like PerlScript, C or C++. This scripting language then produces the HTML, which is sent to the browser as a dynamic Web page. In addition to the inclusion of another step, there are not many scripting languages capable of working alongside CGI (other than the ones mentioned above), but it is still accessible on a variety of browsers.
JavaServer Pages (JSP): This combines markup languages, like HTML and XML, with Java to generate dynamic content. It is fast and powerful. The code is portable between servers.
PHP (PHP HyperText Preprocessor): This is an open-source and cross-platform scripting language used to generate dynamic content. A request involving PHP is directed to the server, which then interprets the language before sending the results back to the browser.
Sources:
Dynamic Web Page. 22 October 2006. Wikipedia. 31 October 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/_dynamic_web_page/
Getting Started with ASP.net. Oleg Gdalevich. 31 October 2006. http://vbip.com/books/
Server-Side Scripting. 1 October 2006. Wikipedia. 31 October 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/server_side_scripting /
Sundarapperuma, Nadil. Creating Dynamic Web Pages Using JSP. 31 October 2006. http://cs.umd.edu/.../fall2003/cmsc424-0101/proj_r esources/CreatingJSP.pdf/
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