frameword vs application server?

[walterbyrd]

Can somebody help me understand the difference? Not just where Python
is concerned, but in general?

As I understand it, an application server is supposed to be a great
help in developing apps, because most of the business logic is already
there. It seems to me that, usually when applications servers are
discussed, people are talking about Java.

I suppose most popular Python frameworks incorporate an application
server, but I get the idea that those app servers are not nearly as
sophisticed as something like JBoss.

I am not sure if a Python app server, that works like a Java app
server would make sense.

 

[Diez B. Roggisch]

Can somebody help me understand the difference? Not just where Python
is concerned, but in general?

As I understand it, an application server is supposed to be a great
help in developing apps, because most of the business logic is already
there. It seems to me that, usually when applications servers are
discussed, people are talking about Java.

First of all, this is a misconception. An app-server may provide a wide
range of infrastructure, however this has nothing to do with business
logic. THat can merely pick parts of that infrastructure to build upon.
But the distinction to a powerful framework is slim enough.

And it should be (and has been often so) said that especially in the
java-world, app-servers and the specifications the implement (j2ee) are
over-engineered and complicated.

I suppose most popular Python frameworks incorporate an application
server, but I get the idea that those app servers are not nearly as
sophisticed as something like JBoss.

The sophistication is a matter of perspective - some of it stems from
the fact that in java, you need a lot more code to make even pretty
simple things work. Think of delegation to business objects (session
beans) that get their respective calls wrapped so that they take place
inside a transactional context.

Which involves a great deal of design-abstractions, code-generators and
tons of XML to glue these together.

Or three lines of code in python...

I am not sure if a Python app server, that works like a Java app
server would make sense.

As mentioned above - in some aspects, that is not really needed. But if
you want more of an app-server, have a look at ZOPE, Kamaelia and maybe
even twisted.

Diez

 

[walterbyrd]

As mentioned above - in some aspects, that is not really needed. But if
you want more of an app-server, have a look at ZOPE, Kamaelia and maybe
even twisted.

Thanks. Kamaelia reminds me of SOA - loosely coupled software services
talking with each other. Interesting stuff.