Server side scripting that doesn't use a database?

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AmiNeo

AmiNeo

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Hi guys, me, again, lol.

Could use some quick words from experienced web devs as I'm a little clueless and google doesn't seem to be returning the correct results for what I need.

I need some suggestions for server-side scripting which do not need a database back end. My client has no use for database functions and putting one in for the sake of it seems a little pointless. She is also learning Adobe Dreamweaver so has no use for a CMS as she will eventually be able to develop the content herself.

The site I'm developing needs 3 examples in it. I plan on getting a PHP contact form in, but can't come up with any other examples that don't need a database to support them.

Any thoughts are appreciated :) Once I get an idea of what I can stick in it, I can finish this assignment and focus on the rest of the year.


Thanks again guys :thumbsup:
 
AmiNeo said:
Hi guys, me, again, lol.

Could use some quick words from experienced web devs as I'm a little clueless and google doesn't seem to be returning the correct results for what I need.

I need some suggestions for server-side scripting which do not need a database back end. My client has no use for database functions and putting one in for the sake of it seems a little pointless. She is also learning Adobe Dreamweaver so has no use for a CMS as she will eventually be able to develop the content herself.
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Any server side script language doesn't rely on databases, but databases are a rather essential part of data management.
 
I understand what you're saying but I just can't think of anything off the top of my head that wouldn't need a database. There must be some server side scripts I can develop that don't need one?

All I'm looking for is, literally, just a list of things you can do with server side scripting that don't require a database so I can choose the 3 most suitable for the site and look into them.
 
In the old days, before crooks and vandals entered the internet, typical "contact" forms either were "direct to email forms" handled client side, or for "enhanced security" on the server side.

These quickly went out of style as their "lack of filter" makes them easy to abuse as you can flood the receipient.

A form like this would capture the data from the contact form, and transform it to an email that it will forward to a mailbox.

A CMS will typically save its data in a database, as moijk points out. A database is a convenient way to manage datastorage.

Another way is file. You have to take more responsability your self, but in some small limited cases, it can also be less overhead than using a database.

There are also "hybrids" like SQLlite for PHP, which is a set of PHP code that will give you a SQL "interface to files on disk" without installing a database.
 
Not sure if all/any of this will make sense but it sounds like you want a bit of brainstorming so it may help if only be sparking off other ideas....

If a server-side script is just a piece of code that runs on the server rather than on the client, think about the circumstances under which you'd want to do that.

Servers we normally come across [out of work anyway] are used for files and databases, or for things that essentially rely on underlying databases [like telling you your location, what the weather's like, translating words etc].

Are there any algorithms that a server might run - some set of calculations based on your input data that don't rely on looking anything up in a database; and are either so complex that it's unwieldy to download them or that you would want to keep them on the server for intellecutal property reasons?

Trouble is that for any calculations to be complex enough to be run on the server side, you're likely to have some sort of database supporting it. For example, running a script that sets off a server running a complex economic forecasting model and returning the answers to you when it's done.

What about remote server operation? Eg. you log in to a web page to get servers stats, run diagnostics, etc. That would mean running scripts but without a database being involved.

Or maybe an income tax calculator? Sufficiently complicated you might not want to expose it all to the client machines?
 
Thanks for the input so far guys!

ratfink has hit closer to home on the kind of thing I'm looking for. I really already understand server sides scripting's purpose. I just can't think of 3 examples which I can put into such a simple website.

I can't even embed Google maps into the site because she has no fixed business premises, and goes out to her clients instead. :lol:

The site's purpose itself is literally just "Here is who we are this is what we do. Here's our prices and please get intouch if you'd like to book" Plus a little information on related topics.

She does also want to embed some maths games on the site which will be written in GameMaker and I'm not sure there's anything server side I can do there. I don't know much about GameMaker itself at the moment but there may be a way I can use server side to call the games? :unsure:
 
Okay guys no probs, I've found what I need :thumbsup:


Closing.
 
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