What is FastCGI?
FastCGI is, as you might expect, a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) extension protocol that is 'fast' at serving web applications like Rails.
Why would I want to use FastCGI for my Rails apps?
Simply put, because it is the least expensive way to deploy a Rails app that isn't brutally slow. FastCGI actually functions quite well, especially when its properly optimized for a shared hosting environment.
How does HostingRails.com offer FastCGI differently than other hosts?
The most cost-effective and common way to host FastCGI apps is to limit the amount of time that a
FastCGI process can be held in memory. This is usually set at something between 1-5mins, which means if
your process gets killed off then the entire application environment needs to be reloaded when the
next dynamic hit comes along, which can be quite slow.
What we do differently is adhere to the following rules:
* No limit for the amount of time a FastCGI process can be held in memory.
* No limit to the number of processes that can be spawned (as long as you're in production mode!)
* Optimized use of mod_fcgid instead of mod_fastcgi for better memory allocation and handling of multiple processes.
* Under-packed servers so there is plenty of RAM and CPU available for your applications to load quickly.
How can I setup and use FastCGI with HostingRails.com?
Our clients have developed and fine-tuned a simple
step-by-step tutorial
to help you deploy in minutes.