XML::Comma depends on the Apache web server and its mod_perl extension module to hammer the round peg of complex application functionality into the square hole of HTTP transport.

The HTML::Mason delivery engine is a terrific templating system that provides all sorts of useful, high-level features, while still allowing a programmer to drop down into Perl as needed. It is indispensable.

Perl is a powerful, friendly, well-supported programming language. It is widely used in web development, and integrates extremely well with Apache. A great many Perl resources are available on the net, including Perl.com, Use Perl, and Perl Monks. Perl's Module system is perhaps the most successful system of software re-use ever deployed in the real world: visit The Comprehensive Perl Archive Network to download modules and search documentation.

XML::Comma relies on a relational database to handle sorted indexing and retrieval. Two databases are currently supported: MySQL and PostgreSQL. Both of these databases are used widely and are actively maintained. They are quite different, but either one is a solid choice for a production XML::Comma installation.