The mod_negotiation Apache Module

The Apache Web Server has the ability to look at the language preference specified by a web browser client (such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer) and return the content of different files depending on that preference. This ability, termed Content Negotiation, is a simple yet very powerful Apache feature.

Installation

Connect to your Virtual Private Server via SSH or Telnet and add the following line to the top of your web server configuration file (~/www/conf/httpd.conf) to dynamically load the mod_negotiation Apache Module.

LoadModule  negotiation_module  modules/mod_negotiation.so

Configuration

Make the following additions and modifications to your web server configuration file (~/www/conf/httpd.conf).

1. Add language directived using the AddLanguage directive, like this:

   AddLanguage en .en
   AddLanguage es .es
   AddLanguage fr .fr
   AddLanguage de .de
   AddLanguage it .it
   AddLanguage jp .jp

   The AddLanguage directive associates file extensions (.en .es .fr .de .it .jp) with corresponding language abbreviations (en es fr de it jp). The abbreviations are predefined and can be located in any of the latest generation web browser clients.

   • Netscape Navigator

     Edit -> Preferences -> Navigator -> Languages -> Add

   • Microsoft Internet Explorer

     Tools -> Internet Options -> General -> Languages -> Add

2. Add a language priority directive using the LanguagePriority directive, like this:

   LanguagePriority en es fr de

   The LanguagePriority directive allows you to give precedence to some languages in case of a tie during content negotiation or if the browser client does not specify a language priority (older web browsers). Just list the languages in decreasing order of preference.

3. Add the MultiViews option to the Options directive that is part of your <Directory /usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs> definition. For example, your web server configuration file probably is set up this way currently:

   <Directory /usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs>
   
   # This may also be "None", "All", or any combination of "Indexes",
   # "Includes", "FollowSymLinks", "ExecCGI", or "MultiViews".
   
   # Note that "MultiViews" must be named *explicitly* --- "Options All"
   # doesn't give it to you (or at least, not yet).
   
   Options Indexes FollowSymLinks

   Add the MultiViews option like this:

   Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews

   The MultiViews option can also be added to the Options definition in .htaccess files.

Serving Language-Specific Content

You can now create and upload language-specific content to your Virtual Private Server using the appropriate extensions. For example, create index.html.en, index.html.es, and index.html.fr files in addition to an index.html file. When a web browser client requests index.html, the web server will analyze the language preference of the web browser client and serve the appropriate index.html.* file seamlessly and transparently.

More Information

To learn more about mod_negotiation, see the following page:

• Apache Week: Content Negotiation Explained