[mod_python] mod_python version compatibilities

On 03/03/2008, rahul <Rahul.G.Nair at sun.com> wrote:
> | >  I am integrating mod_python with Solaris Apache 2.2 package
>  | >  Distribution.
>  | >
>
> ......(snip)
>
>
>  | >  (The reason for asking this is that the versions that are guaranteed to
>  | >  be compatible can be added as an upgrade while the version changes that
>  | >  may cause non-compatible changes may need to be treated differently.)
>  | >
>  | >  (By interface I mean any thing a developer may make use of in mod_python
>  | >  while developing modules in mod_python. Includes configuration
>  | >  directives and APIs)
>  |
>  | If you want some semblance of version compatibility, or even
>  | portability for Python web applications, then don't write your web
>  | applications to directly use mod_python. Instead, write your web
>  | application to work against the WSGI specification (www.wsgi.org) for
>  | Python web applications. That way you have a better chance of changes
>  | in the hosting mechanism not causing a problem.
>  |
>  | What is you are really trying to do and what web applications are you
>  | wanting to host? Do you specifically need mod_python because of
>  | wanting to hook into internal features of Apache?
>
>
> My interest is to bundle mod_python in OpenSolaris SXDE, as a package
>  (compiled) for others to use. So the applications that would use
>  mod_python would not be under my control. And yes, it could be that
>  the developers might decide to hook into the internals of apache through
>  mod_python (I cant be sure they wont :) ).
>
>  Thank you for the response, It clarified what I was looking for.

Since for Python web application development, most stuff is heading
towards WSGI, you might also want to have a look at mod_wsgi
(www.modwsgi.org).

BTW, does Solaris packaged version of Python supply only a static
version of Python library? Lack of a shared library for Python,
installed in correct place so that it is found properly, has been a
problem with many Python distributions. I recollect some distributed
versions of Python for Solaris being like that.

For more details on static/shared library issues, see:

  http://code.google.com/p/modwsgi/wiki/InstallationIssues

This is from mod_wsgi documentation, but same issues affect mod_python.

Graham