title: Access a CodeIgniter controller function without web server
body: <p>I am currently working on a medium size <code>CodeIgniter</code> project.</p>
  
  <p>I have created some functions inside my controllers which are manipulating database tables (create tables from others, delete tables, etc.).</p>
  
  <p>I would like to call these functions periodically thanks to several <code>cron-scripts</code>, calling the related URLs with <code>curl</code>.</p>
  
  <p>Since the database manipulation could be quite heavy, I would like to know if the fact of using a intermediary (here <code>Apache</code>, but any web server) will decrease the performance of the functions.</p>
  
  <p>Could it be possible to call the functions (located inside my controllers) directly with the <code>PHP</code> executable ?</p>