[Python-Dev] Improving the CGI module (original) (raw)

Simon Willison cs1spw at bath.ac.uk
Wed Sep 17 19:57:43 EDT 2003

Hi all,

I've recently started using Python for server side web development, and I've been running in to some limitations in the CGI module. The most critical of these is that the module provides no method of determining whether form data originated in a query string (GET data) or a POSTed form. The module also provides very little in the way of support for common CGI related operations such as sending common headers and parsing and sending cookies; the Cookie module provides parsing capabilities but requires additional glue code to extract cookie data from the CGI environment.

I have previous experience with PHP, which has a number of extremely convenient mechanisms for dealing with form input and cookies that I sorely miss when working with Python. I have started work on porting some of these capabilities, but it struck me that several of the ideas represented would make valuable additions to the Python standard library itself.

I have been working with Python for over a year, but I have no real experience of the Python development process. Is this list the right place to discuss potential improvements to the CGI module, or should I work independently and construct a PEP? I noticed that PEP 222 already exists relating to "web library enhancements", but it has a 'Deferred' status and appears not to have been modified since December 2000.

Best regards,

Simon Willison http://simon.incutio.com/categories/python/

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