Server-side include

Server-side includes or SSI is a simple server-side scripting language used almost exclusively for the web. As its name implies, its primary use is including the contents of one file in another.

Table of contents

1 Basic syntax
2 Directives
3 External links
4 See also

Basic syntax

SSI has a simple syntax similar to "". Directives are placed in HTML comments so that if SSI isn't enabled, users won't see SSI directives without viewing source.

Directives

These are the most common SSI directives:

Directive	Parameters	Description	Example
include	file or virtual	This is probably the most used SSI directive, allowing the content of one document to be included in another. The virtual parameter, which specifies the file or script to be included, should be used instead of the file parameter.	<!--#include virtual="header.html"-->
exec	cgi or cmd	If the cgi attribute is used, it should be the path to a CGI script to be executed. The PATH_INFO and QUERY_STRING of the current SSI script will be passed to the CGI script. include virtual should be used instead of exec cgi. If the cmd attribute is used, it should be a shell command to be executed. The output of the command will be included in the page.	<!--#exec cgi="/cgi-bin/foo.cgi"--> or <!--#exec cmd="ls -l"-->

This is probably the most used SSI directive, allowing the content of one document to be included in another. The virtual parameter, which specifies the file or script to be included, should be used instead of the file parameter.

exec

cgi or cmd

If the cgi attribute is used, it should be the path to a CGI script to be executed. The PATH_INFO and QUERY_STRING of the current SSI script will be passed to the CGI script. include virtual should be used instead of exec cgi.

If the cmd attribute is used, it should be a shell command to be executed. The output of the command will be included in the page.

or