HTML and Javascript are "client-side" languages that affect how a Web page is displayed. The content of the Web page is the same from one access of that page to the next. The content of the Web page can be changed dynamically, however, using a server-side mechanism that changes the HTML, Javascript, or other client-side language on-the-fly. The mechanism by which Web pages can be created dynamically is Common Gateway Interface (CGI).

Perl is a scripting language that is used pervasively for CGI programming on the World Wide Web. Perl has its roots in the Unix operating system, and since a large number of Web servers run on Unix, using Perl on Unix for CGI scripting is a very common configuration, if not the most common. In this course, we introduce CGI programming in Perl, for nonprogrammers.

You are not expected to be a proficient programmer coming into this course, however, you are expected to be familiar with basic HTML.

If you are unfamiliar with HTML, then start with one of these tutorials before attempting this course:

http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/
HTML Primer.html
http://www.davesite.com/webstation/html

If you are looking for a complete online Perl reference, see the Perl FAQ at http://www.perl.com/pub/v/faqs

The focus of the course is CGI programming using Perl as the instructional language. The course is designed to be delivered in four 3-hour sessions in an instructor-led format, or the equivalent time spent online with instructor supervision in a distance learning (hybrid) format. This is not a course in Perl, although this course covers enough Perl to get started writing CGI scripts in this versatile language. Server accounts will be provided on IIUSA servers, however, you are free to use other accounts where you may have CGI support.