docs::a...nection(3)

📦 version 2.0.13, in nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable

💅 NAME 💅

okay so this is docs::a...nection(3) from User Contributed Perl Documentation, and it's the main-character manual page for Apache2::Connection — the Perl API for Apache connection object. periodt. 💖

✨ Synopsis ✨

bestie, here's the synopsis in all its code-block glory — every line is doing its own little slay, so don't skip a single one: 🌸

use Apache2::Connection ();
use Apache2::RequestRec ();

my $c = $r->connection;

my $c = $r->connection;
# is connection still open?
$status = $c->aborted;

# base server
$base_server = $c->base_server();

# needed for creating buckets/brigades
$ba = $c->bucket_alloc();

# client's socket
$socket = $c->client_socket;

# unique connection id
$id = $c->id();

# connection filters stack
$input_filters = $c->input_filters();
$output_filters = $c->output_filters();

# keep the connection alive?
$status = $c->keepalive();

# how many requests served over the current connection
$served = $c->keepalives();

# this connection's local and remote socket addresses
$local_sa  = $c->local_addr();
$remote_sa = $c->remote_addr();

# local and remote hostnames
$local_host = $c->local_host();
$remote_host = $c->get_remote_host();
$remote_host = $c->remote_host();

# server and remote client's IP addresses
$local_ip = $c->local_ip();
$remote_ip = $c->remote_ip();

# connection level Apache notes
$notes = $c->notes();

# this connection's pool
$p = $c->pool();

No cap, that's the full synopsis stack: connection checks, base server, buckets/brigades setup, the client's socket, filters, keepalive, addresses, hostnames, IPs, notes, and the connection's pool. Every call is sitting right where the manual put it. ✨

🌸 Description 🌸

Apache2::RequestRec provides the Perl API for Apache connection record object. That's the description, short and iconic — no extra lore, just the facts. 🎀

Part 1 stops here; more parts are pulling up, so stay tuned 💅

💅 `aborted`

Is the connection still alive, or did it ghost us 💀

$status = $c->aborted();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $status (boolean) — true if the connection has been aborted, false if it's still open
since: 2.0.00

🦋 `base_server`

Which physical server did this connection come in on — the main server or a vhost?

$base_server = $c->base_server();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $base_server (an Apache2::Server object)
since: 2.0.00

🎀 `bucket_alloc`

The bucket allocator you use for literally every bucket/brigade creation ✨

$ba = $c->bucket_alloc();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $ba (an APR::BucketAlloc object)
since: 2.0.00

You need this object for APR::Bucket and APR::Brigade methods/functions. Non-negotiable, bestie 🫶

🔌 `client_socket`

Get — or set — the client socket

$socket      = $c->client_socket;
$prev_socket = $c->client_socket($new_socket);

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
opt arg1: $new_socket (an APR::Socket object object) — if you pass a new socket, it gets set
ret: $socket (an APR::Socket object object) — the current client socket. If the optional argument $new_socket was passed, the previous socket object is returned instead
since: 2.0.00

🌈 `get_remote_host`

Look up the client's DNS hostname or IP address 🔍

$remote_host = $c->remote_host();
$remote_host = $c->remote_host($type);
$remote_host = $c->remote_host($type, $dir_config);

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object) — the current connection
opt arg1: $type (a :remotehost constant) — the type of lookup to perform:
- Apache2::Const::REMOTE_DOUBLE_REV — will always force a DNS lookup, and also force a double reverse lookup, regardless of the HostnameLookups setting. The result is the (double reverse checked) hostname, or undef if any of the lookups fail
- Apache2::Const::REMOTE_HOST — returns the hostname, or undef if the hostname lookup fails. It will force a DNS lookup according to the HostnameLookups setting
- Apache2::Const::REMOTE_NAME — returns the hostname, or the dotted quad if the hostname lookup fails. It will force a DNS lookup according to the HostnameLookups setting
- Apache2::Const::REMOTE_NOLOOKUP — is like Apache2::Const::REMOTE_NAME except that a DNS lookup is never forced
- Default value is Apache2::Const::REMOTE_NAME
opt arg2: $dir_config (an Apache2::ConfVector object) — the directory config vector from the request. It's needed to find the container in which the directive HostnameLookups is set. To get one for the current request use $r->per_dir_config. By default, undef is passed, in which case it's the same as if HostnameLookups was set to Off
ret: $remote_host (string/undef) — the remote hostname. If the configuration directive HostNameLookups is set to off, this returns the dotted decimal representation of the client's IP address instead. Might return undef if the hostname is not known
since: 2.0.00

iykyk: the result of the get_remote_host call is cached in $c->remote_host. If the latter is set, get_remote_host will return that value immediately, w/o doing any checkups. Efficient queen 💅

🆔 `id`

The ID of this connection — unique at any point in time

$id = $c->id();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $id (integer)
since: 2.0.00

🧚 `input_filters`

Get/set the first filter in a linked list of protocol level input filters:

$input_filters      = $c->input_filters();
$prev_input_filters = $c->input_filters($new_input_filters);

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
opt arg1: $new_input_filters — set a new value
ret: $input_filters (an Apache2::Filter object) — the first filter in the connection input filters chain. If $new_input_filters was passed, returns the previous value
since: 2.0.00

For an example see: Bucket Brigades-based Protocol Module 👀

🔥 `keepalive`

This method answers the big question: should the the connection be kept alive for another HTTP request after the current request is completed? 👑

$status = $c->keepalive();
$status = $c->keepalive($new_status);

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
opt arg1: $new_status (a :conn_keepalive constant) — normally you should not mess with setting this option when handling the HTTP protocol. If you do (for example when sending your own headers set with $r->assbackwards) — take a look at the ap_set_keepalive() function in httpd-2.0/modules/http/http_protocol.c
ret: $status (a :conn_keepalive constant) — the method does not return true or false, but one of the states which can be compared against (:conn_keepalive constants)
since: 2.0.00

Unless you set this value yourself when implementing non-HTTP protocols, it's only relevant for HTTP requests.

For example:

use Apache2::RequestRec ();
use Apache2::Connection ();

use Apache2::Const -compile => qw(:conn_keepalive);
...
my $c = $r->connection;
if ($c->keepalive == Apache2::Const::CONN_KEEPALIVE) {
    # do something
}
elsif ($c->keepalive == Apache2::Const::CONN_CLOSE) {
    # do something else
}
elsif ($c->keepalive == Apache2::Const::CONN_UNKNOWN) {
    # do yet something else
}
else {
    # die "unknown state";
}

Notice that new states could be added later by Apache, so your code should make no assumptions and do things only if the desired state matches. fr fr, don't be that girl who hardcodes everything 😭

📈 `keepalives`

How many requests were already served over the current connection

$served = $c->keepalives();
$served = $c->keepalives($new_served);

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
opt arg1: $new_served (integer) — set the number of served requests over the current connection. Normally you won't do that when handling HTTP requests (but see below a note regarding $r->assbackwards)
ret: $served (integer) — how many requests were already served over the current connection. In most handlers, but HTTP output filter handlers, that value doesn't count the current request. For the latter it'll count the current request
since: 2.0.00

This method is only relevant for keepalive connections. The core connection output filter ap_http_header_filter increments this value when the response headers are sent and it decides that the connection should not be closed (see ap_set_keepalive()).

🚨 If you send your own set of HTTP headers with $r->assbackwards, which includes the Keep-Alive HTTP response header, you must make sure to increment the keepalives counter. Don't skip this step bestie, it's giving consequences.

🏠 `local_addr`

Get this connection's local socket address

$local_sa = $c->local_addr();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $local_sa (an APR::SockAddr object)
since: 2.0.00

🌸 `local_host`

used for ap_get_server_name when UseCanonicalName is set to DNS (ignores setting of HostnameLookups)

$local_host = $c->local_host();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $local_host (string)
since: 2.0.00

META: you probably shouldn't use this method, but (get_server_name) if inside request and $r is available. just saying 💅

💻 `local_ip`

server IP address

$local_ip = $c->local_ip();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $local_ip (string)
since: 2.0.00

📝 `notes`

Get/set text notes for the duration of this connection. These notes can be passed from one module to another (not only mod_perl, but modules in any other language):

$notes      = $c->notes();
$prev_notes = $c->notes($new_notes);

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
opt arg1: $new_notes (an APR::Table object)
ret: $notes (an APR::Table object) — the current notes table. If the $new_notes argument was passed, returns the previous value
since: 2.0.00

Also see $r->notes 🫶

🌀 `output_filters`

Get the first filter in a linked list of protocol level output filters:

$output_filters = $c->output_filters();
$prev_output_filters = $r->output_filters($new_output_filters);

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
opt arg1: $new_output_filters — set a new value
ret: $output_filters (an Apache2::Filter object) — the first filter in the connection output filters chain. If $new_output_filters was passed, returns the previous value
since: 2.0.00

For an example see: Bucket Brigades-based Protocol Module ✨

🏊 `pool`

Pool associated with this connection

$p = $c->pool();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $p (an APR::Pool object)
since: 2.0.00

📡 `remote_addr`

Get this connection's remote socket address

$remote_sa = $c->remote_addr();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $remote_sa (an APR::SockAddr object)
since: 2.0.00

🌍 `remote_ip`

Client's IP address

$remote_ip      = $c->remote_ip();
$prev_remote_ip = $c->remote_ip($new_remote_ip);

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
opt arg1: $new_remote_ip (string) — if passed a new value will be set
ret: $remote_ip (string) — current remote ip address. If the optional argument $new_remote_ip was passed the previous value is returned
since: 2.0.00

🔎 `remote_host`

Client's DNS name:

$remote_host = $c->remote_host();

obj: $c (an Apache2::Connection object)
ret: $remote_host (string/undef) — if $c->get_remote_host was run it returns the cached value, which is a client DNS name or "" if it wasn't found. If the check wasn't run — undef is returned
since: 2.0.00

It's best to to call $c->get_remote_host instead of directly accessing this variable. trust me on this one 🫶

💅 Unsupported API 💅

okay bestie, so real talk: Apache2::Connection also hands you an auto-generated Perl interface for a few extra methods. And like… they’re not tested yet 😭, so their API is subject to change. They’ll get finalized later when there’s an actual need. If you’re thinking “hmm I wanna rely on one of these,” please contact the mod_perl development mailing list so y’all can help each other take the steps needed to move that method into the officially supported API. 🫶

✨ `conn_config` ✨

This one’s the config vector containing pointers to connections per-server config structures. Very “behind the scenes,” very mysterious. 🎀

$ret = $c->conn_config();

obj: $c ( Apache2::Connection object )
ret: $ret ( Apache2::ConfVector object )
since: 2.0.00

🦋 `sbh` 🦋

META: Autogenerated - needs to be reviewed/completed

It’s the handle to scoreboard information for this connection. That’s the whole vibe. 👑

$sbh = $c->sbh();

obj: $c ( Apache2::Connection object )
ret: $sbh (XXX)
since: 2.0.00

META: Not sure how this can be used from mod_perl at the moment. Unless Apache2::Scoreboard is extended to provide a hook to read from this variable. 😬

🌈 See Also 🌈

mod_perl 2.0 documentation. that’s the rec, bestie. ✨

🎀 Copyright 🎀

mod_perl 2.0 and its core modules are copyrighted under The Apache Software License, Version 2.0.

💖 Authors 💖

The mod_perl development team and numerous contributors.

and that’s the whole page, bestie 🫶 this little manual-page moment is from perl v5.42.3, dated 2023-10-21, filed under docs::a...nection(3). slay, and good luck out there 💅✨

📦 where this page comes from

nixos 26.05: mod_perl 2.0.13
nixpkgs unstable: mod_perl 2.0.13
💖 girlified by deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash-1017 on 2026-11-04: a language model's rewrite of the original, under its terms

docs::a...nection(3)

💅 NAME 💅

✨ Synopsis ✨

🌸 Description 🌸

💅 aborted

🦋 base_server

🎀 bucket_alloc

🔌 client_socket

🌈 get_remote_host

🆔 id

🧚 input_filters

🔥 keepalive

📈 keepalives

🏠 local_addr

🌸 local_host

💻 local_ip

📝 notes

🌀 output_filters

🏊 pool

📡 remote_addr

🌍 remote_ip

🔎 remote_host