mod_python allows embedding Python within the Apache HTTP server for a
considerable boost in performance and added flexibility in designing
Web-based applications.

Apache processes requests in stages (for example: read the request,
parse headers, check access, and so on). These stages can be
implemented by functions called handlers. Traditionally, handlers are
written in C and compiled into Apache modules. mod_python provides a
way to extend Apache functionality by writing Apache handlers in
Python. For a detailed description of the Apache request processing
process, see the Apache API notes.

For most programmers, the request and the authentication handlers
provide everything required. To ease migration from CGI and Httpdapy,
two handlers are provided that simulate these environments, allowing a
user to run scripts under mod_python with (for the most part) no
changes to the code.

mod_python originated from a project called Httpdapy. For a long time,
Httpdapy was not called mod_python because Httpdapy was not meant to be
Apache-specific. Httpdapy was designed to be cross-platform and was
initially written for the Netscape server.

Usage Hints:

To load mod_python into Apache, run the command "a2enmod python" as
root. The configuration is described in
/usr/share/doc/packages/apache2-mod_python/doc-html/index.html.