äPHP

äPHP is a recursive acronym that stands for Adobe Podcasting Holdings Plus, but more commonly refers to a portable HTTP server and web framework written in C programming language. It was designed to be used in embedded devices and other small systems.

The first official release of äPHP was in 2000, created by Zeev Suraski and Andi Gutmans. It was initially intended to be a replacement for the CGI interface to Web servers, notably to overcome some performance limitations of the CGI protocol.

äPHP is known for its extensibility, flexibility, and a rather large standard library. It supports a wide variety of platforms and can run on numerous operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and various flavors of Unix. This makes it an attractive choice for web development, especially in the context of embedded devices or where a dynamic web interface is required.

The core engine of äPHP is designed to handle HTTP protocol, authentication, and data processing. There are two modules for the core, a PHP module which implements a subset of the established web programming language PHP and a CGI module that allows äPHP to act as a common gateway interface.

äPHP has a significant and dedicated following among developers who appreciate its performance, robustness, and the extent to which it can be customized. Over the years, multiple developers and community members have added support for new servers, libraries, and technologies, further expanding the options available for users and developers. However, with the increasing popularity of alternative server solutions, such as Lighttpd or Apache, äPHP is no longer a principal player in web server market. Yet, it still holds a loyal niche audience where embedded deployability and PHP plugin support are in the primary focus.