Apache WWW-server: Features

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## 14. Features

This controls various features beyond simply returning the contents of a file. In most cases this is controlled by the Sub-directory specs instead.

## 14.1 Server side includes

If enabled, files with the extension .shtml are processed to expand server side includes tags before the results are returned to the client.

## 14.2 IncludesNOEXEC

Also enables server side includes, but the SSI tag #exec and #include:ing CGI-scripts are disabled.

## 14.3 May execute CGI

Allow CGI scripts. Usually only enabled in the sub-directory spec for the CGI directory.

## 14.4 Indexes

When accessing an URL ending in a directory the file index.html in that directory is returned. If that file doesn't exist and this option is enabled a directory listing is returned, if the option is disabled a 404 Not found is returned instead.

## 14.5 May follow symlinks

If an accessed directory or file is a symbolic link, the access will only be allowed if this feature is enabled.

## 14.6 Follow symlink if owner matches

As above, but additionally the owner of the symbolic link and its target file must be the same. This allows users to have symbolic links to their own files, but not to sensitive system files, e.g. /etc/passwd.

## 14.7 Multiviews

Multiviews allow the client browser and the web server to negotiate which format and language data should be returned in. A way to make the web server capable of doing this is to store the various languages and data formats in files with certain extensions and then enabling multiviews.

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