[Melbourne-pm] Perl web application framework recommendations

[Daniel Pittman]

On 16 Aug 2004, Paul Fenwick wrote:
> Tim Hunt wrote:
>
>> If you're looking at Template Toolkit, don't ignore HTML::Mason (
>> http://www.masonhq.com ) used by Monash Uni's portal, Amazon.com and
>> other fine sites.
>
> I can chime in with a vote for HTML::Mason here. 

*nod*  It keeps looking tempting, so I guess I should have a whack at
prototyping my application in it...

[...]

> As for authentication, keep in mind that apache lets you set a 
> PerlAuthHandler and a PerlAccessHandler (and a few more), that you can
> use independently to whatever you have generating your content.  

Unfortunately, this only gives access to the very broken HTTP
authentication layer which, while useful for small scale work, tends to
be problematic for real-world applications in my experience.

Specifically, the lack of any way to 'log out' of the system and the
difficulty in implementing any sort of single sign on[1] across servers
are usually the killers out in the wild.

[...]

> Getting Mason installed and set-up for the first time can be a little 
> bit tricky, but once you have done that, using it for development is 
> fantastic.  I'm happy to provide assistance should you hit any snags.

The biggest hitch for me is that I have apache2 running on the server
that I want to put this on, and I don't particularly want to run a
second complete web server just for this.

Has anyone any advice on getting mason and Apache2 to work together?
The developers site suggests, basically, that I am short of luck. :/

> If you want to use Template Toolkit then there shouldn't be anything in
> HTML::Mason stopping you -- indeed, it should just be a few tweaks to 
> the autohandler.  However, I've found that Mason's native features do 
> the vast majority of the templating work for you when used correctly.

My preference comes from a desire to keep the template engine and the
business logic as distinct as possible, and the feeling that Perl isn't
actually the language I want to do templating in.

At the end of the day, though, there isn't /that/ much difference
between the two. :)
        Daniel

Footnotes: 
[1]  As opposed to 'same password', many prompt sign on.

-- 
I saw that most programmers never mature above the "see jack run" level.
My pals at the [suppressed!] Comp Sci Dept scoff at the estimates I make, but
I never underestimate -- they always do. I think of the big picture, the 75%
that remains after the code "works".
        -- Erik Naggum