Server‐side includes made simple

Server‐side include (SSI) codes allow Webmasters to insert content into their Web pages on‐the‐fly without programming knowledge. Using these codes effectively can mean an exponential decrease in the time spent maintaining a large or medium‐sized Web site. Most Web servers have server‐side functionality to some extent; a few allow great flexibility with if‐then statements and the ability to set variables. This article describes the functionality of SSI, how to enable the codes on a Web server, and a step‐by‐step process for implementing them. Examples of their use on a large academic library’s Web site are included for illustration.