What is CGI? Updated on January 2, 2020 by Carrie Smaha 0 Minutes, 50 Seconds to Read CGI stands for common gateway interface. When you log into file manager in cPanel for the first time, you’ll notice a folder in your Public_html folder called your “cgi-bin”. CGI in the most basic of terms is a way that the webserver communicated information to a CGI program. The cgi-bin folder is where you will store the scripts such as Perl (.pl) that your website will use. If your website contains a form for your visitors to fill out created directly from code, then it’s likely this form will be handled with a script placed in the CGI-bin folder. If you’re using a CMS like WordPress, then your forms are mostly being created through a plugin or built-in functionality. Consult with your documentation in order to learn more about to create your form. If you would like more information on using a form on your website please see our link: How Contact Forms Work. You can also learn how to create forms using a script like FormMail. Share this Article Carrie Smaha Senior Manager Marketing Operations Carrie Smaha is a Senior Marketing Operations leader with over 20 years of experience in digital strategy, web development, and IT project management. She specializes in go-to-market programs and SaaS solutions for WordPress and VPS Hosting, working closely with technical teams and customers to deliver high-performance, scalable platforms. At InMotion Hosting, she drives product marketing initiatives that blend strategic insight with technical depth. More Articles by Carrie Related Articles How to Edit a Website File on Your Server How to Import a Table Using phpMyAdmin Force HTTPS with the .htaccess File The Complete Guide to cPanel Backups Schedule Social Media Posts With Buffer How to Google Analytics to WordPress Without a Plugin How to Install Jekyll and Launch a New Site FTP Basics for Dedicated Servers What is your default PHP.ini file? How to Fix the Insecure SSL Error due to SHA-1 Deprecation
Hello! First, make sure you’ve enabled the ability to view hidden files if you are using cPanel’s file manager. It’s also possible that your website does not use cgi-bin because it is configured a different way. Hope that helps!
