We know that CGI is a protocol of passing data with the help of a server. We have already discussed in detail the functioning of the CGI. Now we shall discuss what exactly the Fast CGI is. Like its former avatar, the fast CGI is a way for transmitting interactive programs with the aid of a server. There is no doubt that, the present fast CGI is a variety of earlier CGI or common gateway interface. Therefore, natural question comes to your mind, if the fast CGI does the same work of CGI, then what is the need of it? There is a need of this fast CGI. The CGI, in many occasions is associated with increased overhead. The present fast CGI is specially designed to reduce this overhead, which is associated with the web server while interfacing. By the application of fast CGI, the server will be able to handle larger number of web pages at a time to meet the request for them.

Now we shall discuss how this fast CGI came in to operation. We know that CGI is a protocol of transmission of data. This process start with the request and the entire operation works on the model of “one process one request”. This model has given the CGI simplicity and easy to operate. Here again starts the limitation of the CGI program. This one process and one request model limits the efficiency of the program. This model also has other limitation as it cannot cope with high loads. Similarly the process of CGI has a limitation of the technique of resource use. Therefore to address all these problems a serious need is felt to find a better model. In mid 90s this fast CGI program came in to the market and now it is used widely. After the introduction this fast CGI suffered many set back, but later resurgence has been seen in its application.