Apache never wants to run my python scripts

Question

Environment: Ubuntu 16, Apache 2.4

The last three times I tried to setup Apache to serve up Python I run into the same problem: Apache wants to let me download the script instead of running it and serving the html in the browser. Each time I figure it out, it turns out to be a combination of things I can never quite figure out.

For Simplicity:

I have the following shebang at the top of my file: #!/usr/bin/env python2.7

Ran sudo apt-get install libapache2-mod-python

Running a2enmod python returns Module python already enabled

Added all sorts of apache2.conf directives, none of them work:

<Directory /var/www/html>
     Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
     Options ExecCGI
     AllowOverride None
     Order allow,deny
     Allow from all
     AddHandler cgi-script .cgi
</Directory>

According to this link, this is all that should be required:

<Directory /srv/www/yoursite/public_html>
     Options +ExecCGI
     AddHandler cgi-script .py
</Directory>

And, this one works on another machine but not the present:

<Directory /var/www/>
     Options +ExecCGI
     AddHandler cgi-script .py
     PythonHandler mod_python.publisher
     Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
     AllowOverride None
     Require all granted
</Directory>

<Directory /var/www/html/index.py>
     Options +ExecCGI
</Directory>

*Sorry if these apache2.conf's look like a mess, or have redundant lines, I was trying anything and everything.

Running sudo a2enmod cgi returns:

Your MPM seems to be threaded. Selecting cgid instead of cgi. Module cgid already enabled

The .py scripts are executable and are owned by www-data.

Please HELP! This is so frustrating. What have I not tried? I want this to be the last time I have to do this. Every time I approach Apache, I approach it with fear; maybe it can smell it.

FYI: I have tried all of the (troubleshooting) steps at these sites (and many others):

https://www.linux.com/blog/configuring-apache2-run-python-scripts

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/28138997/cgi-script-downloads-instead-of-running?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_rich_qa&utm_campaign=google_rich_qa

Why do I get error, Invalid command 'PythonHandler'?

https://superuser.com/questions/174071/apache-serves-py-as-downloadable-file-instead-of-executing-it?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_rich_qa&utm_campaign=google_rich_qa (returns errror with their solution)

Apache not handling python scripts (*.py) via browser

UPDATE

So, here it is. I used test.py in /var/www/html/ so as not to change the source directory. Maybe something is wrong with my browser or the way I am accessing it?

$ ls -ltr /var/www/html/test.py
-rwxr-xr-x 1 www-data www-data    71 Mar 31 17:29 test.py

$ cat /var/www/html/test.py 
#!/usr/bin/python2

print("Content-type:text/html\n\n")
print("hello")

$ grep -A 3 '<Directory /var/www/html/>'  /etc/apache2/apache2.conf
<Directory /var/www/html/>
     Options +ExecCGI
     AddHandler cgi-script .py
</Directory>

$ ./test.py
Content-type:text/html


hello

I looked in the log files. Nothing odd in access.log, but error.log had an error about mismatched Python versions. According to this link, it shouldn't be a problem. Regardless, I resolved the error by running:

$ apt-get remove libapache2-mod-python libapache2-mod-wsgi
$ apt-get build-dep libapache2-mod-python libapache2-mod-wsgi

Proof: Script downloading

Still no luck. I noticed there was an apache2 service running even after it was stopped. Thinking it may be a zombie process, I terminated all processes (it kept popping up), uninstalled and purged apache2, restarted and tried again.

what is the output of the script when run locally? what does access.log and error.log say? — jouell, Mar 31 '18 at 21:18

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 11 '20 at 10:02

You're probably close.

Here's the only thing I added to my stock Apache2 setup on Ubuntu

Note the perms

#ls -ltr  /var/www/html/python/char.py 
    -rwxr-xr-x 1 www-data www-data 71 Mar 31 17:16 /var/www/html/python/char.py

Simple python2 script - make sure you do set the content-type

# cat  /var/www/html/python/char.py 
#!/usr/bin/python2

print("Content-type:text/html\n\n")
print("hello")

Runs fine locally

#/var/www/html/python/char.py 
Content-type:text/html


hello

Config

# grep -A 3 '<Directory /var/www/html/python/>'  /etc/apache2/apache2.conf
<Directory /var/www/html/python/>
     Options +ExecCGI
     AddHandler cgi-script .py
</Directory>

Thank you very much for your feedback and time. Please see update. It's not looking good :( — user58446, Apr 01 '18 at 01:02

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 21 '18 at 10:52

I was having the same issue and tried all the troubleshooting steps that you did. The issue in my case was that I had the link to the cgi script in my php file and while my php server was running (using php -S localhost:8000), the cgi script was getting downloaded from the browser. But when I stopped the php server and then accessed the php script from browser using localhost/myScript.php (and hence the cgi from there on a button click), it worked.

So, if you are also running the php server, try stopping it and then run the php file from browser.

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 24 '19 at 08:12

You've got this config:

<Directory /var/www/html>
     Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
     Options ExecCGI
     AllowOverride None
     Order allow,deny
     Allow from all
     AddHandler cgi-script .cgi
</Directory>

This tells your apache server that files ending in .cgi should be handled as scripts. But you've named your script test.py.

Either rename your script to test.cgi or change your config to

     AddHandler cgi-script .py

Apache never wants to run my python scripts

3 Answers3

Note the perms

Simple python2 script - make sure you do set the content-type

Runs fine locally

Config