ServerWatch content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
If you need speed but don’t want the baggage that comes with most other Web servers, Xitami may be your answer. Xitami’s strength is in its diminutive but stalwart footprint which is built around iMatix’s high performance SMT (Simple Multi-Threading) kernel. Xitami has a loyal — perhaps even fanatic — following that is growing steadily due to its price tag (free!) and its tried and true performance. To the delight of many, Xitami resuscitates older Pentium boxes, making these dust-collectors serviceable once again.
Installation is simple and swift — within minutes Xitami is begging to serve. The Windows versions include three flavors: console, vanilla, and service. The console version is the most attractive; however, the vanilla and service versions are preferable once one becomes familiar with configuring and administering the server. These are both straightforward processes with Xitami; although there are no fancy wizards, the browser-based interface (plus command-line support) gets the job done in an efficient and intuitive manner.
If you need speed but don’t want the baggage that comes with most other Web servers, Xitami may be your answer. Xitami’s strength is in its diminutive but stalwart footprint which is built around iMatix’s high performance SMT (Simple Multi-Threading) kernel.
Documentation for Xitami is also quite thorough and helps make the process of getting up and running with the server a breeze. Both beginning and expert users will find the help documentation well-written and accommodating. Xitami includes standard features such as HTTP/1.0, FTP, CGI/1.1, and virtual hosting that run FAST. In addition, server extensions can be added via Xitami’s Web Server Extension Agents (WSX). Unlike APIs, WSXs are not loaded at runtime from DLLs but are incorporated into the Xitami executable. Similar to FastCGI, LRWP (Long Running Web Process) is Xitami’s method of managing persistent CGI, a must for those sites that rely heavily on scripting for dynamic content. LRWP is included as a WSX agent.
Xitami is robust, limber, and tight in all the right places. Portability is not an issue — Xitami runs on major flavors of Unix, OS/2, OpenVMS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and Windows NT. Mac support, however, is not currently available. Technical support is available via e-mail, discussion groups, and online documentation. Commercial clients who need extra attention can purchase a technical support license at $250 for an organization per year. Developers looking for a fast, portable, and inexpensive multi-threaded Web server will find an answer in Xitami.
Pros: 7 Speed/strength, 7 High performance SMT (Simple Multi-Threading) kernel, 7 Flexibility/portability, 7 Solid help documentation, 7 Bare bones interface (streamlined and efficient), 7 Price (freeware!)
Cons: 7 No Mac version available, 7 Lacks support for HTTP/1.1 protocol, 7 Bare bones interface (no wizards or similar hand-holding tools), 7 Lacks advanced features found in many of the high-end servers
New: FTP server can now resume broken downloads, FTP virtual file system, Windows Console and Service versions, SSI support, better CGI handling, new extensions; List of Features
New in 2.4a: Support for HTTP PUT and DELETE methods, improved Windows traybar support, memory leaks fixed, regression testing add-on tool (‘xitest’), numerous bug fixes
Upgrade Meter: 4
New in 2.4c1: Improved support for PHP 3.0, added support for HTTP MOVE and COPY methods, extended FTP access logging, several bug fixes; Release Notes
Upgrade Meter: 2
New in 2.4d0: Access log lines increased to 4 KB, various bug fixes; Release Notes
Upgrade Meter: 2
New in 2.4d2:Redirections were returning the wrong MIME type, Windows GUI correctly updates server IP address if it changes, 1024-byte limitation on form query variables was removed, various bug fixes; Release Notes
Upgrade Meter: 1
New in 2.4d3:Various bug fixes; Release Notes
Upgrade Meter: 1
|
Version Reviewed: 2.4d0 |
