What is the first language to have inline commands in HTML code?

Question

I'm learning PHP. The PHP has inline commands in HTML code to produce dynamic HTML output.

<div>
    <?php echo 'hello world'; ?>
</div>

In Java and .NET world, there are similar syntax to have commands in HTML.

I'm wondering what is the first language or platform have this kind of syntax. Having dynamic code embedded in HTML code and generating dynamic HTML code.

Answer 1

AOLserver supported inline Tcl in that way back in 1994. For an example of how it looks, see the Writing Your First ADP tutorial. Also, Phil Greenspun has an excellent Introduction to AOLserver written in 1999.

Answer 2

The first I have come across have been Server-Side Includes. They have been introduced in the NCSA web server version 1.2, in 1994.

Before that, they had a simpler system using INC SRV tags, like <inc srv "|date"> to include the current date. The oldest reference to that I could find was a question on a mailing list, dating back to November 1993.

Answer 3

First releases of

• ADP 1994 (Greg Hewgill)
• Server Side Includes 1994 (Thilo)
• PHP 1995
• ASP 1996
• JSP 1999

Answer 4

And by time we have learned that inline html isn't that good :)