Webserver Vs Application Server.

[shaji]

Webserver Vs Application Server.

I could find lot of comparisons from google search. Different people
say different things.
Let me summarize my understanding. Please correct if it is wrong.

Webserver cater to static html web pages + running set of programs
through CGI using HTTP

Application server cater to applications using a higher lever API like
Servlets, JSP, ASP.
and it handles business logic.


People cites Tomcat as a webserver and JBoss as an application server.
Here is my doubt, In my project I uses Tomcat (Struts, Spring,
Hibernate). We process the business logic in the service layer. With
spring, we creates different services.

So why cant I call Tomcat an application server? What is there extra in
JBoss?
(I never used JBoss)


-TIA
shaji.

 

[Tim Slattery]

Webserver Vs Application Server.

I could find lot of comparisons from google search. Different people
say different things.
Let me summarize my understanding. Please correct if it is wrong.

Webserver cater to static html web pages + running set of programs
through CGI using HTTP

I'd say that "webserver" is a very generic term for anything that
receives HTTP requests (GET, POST, whatever) and sends out HTML pages
in response. Apache is a web server, so is IIS.

Application server cater to applications using a higher lever API like
Servlets, JSP, ASP. and it handles business logic.

Using an application server implies (to me, anyway) that you're doing
a *lot* of server-side processing, returning pages constructed on the
fly, rather than sending static HTML pages.

People cite Tomcat as a webserver and JBoss as an application server.
Here is my doubt, In my project I uses Tomcat (Struts, Spring,
Hibernate). We process the business logic in the service layer. With
spring, we creates different services.

Tomcat is a servlet container. That is, it's a web server that allows
server-side processing by J2EE processes: Java servlets, jsp pages,
and what goes with them. JBoss and other application servers can
handle multiple different web applications simultaneously. It can keep
them separate from each other, and offer each a servlet container
environment. It also can host EJBs that other J2EE apps (not just on
the same server) can use.

 

[David Segall]

Webserver Vs Application Server.

I could find lot of comparisons from google search. Different people
say different things.
Let me summarize my understanding. Please correct if it is wrong.

Webserver cater to static html web pages + running set of programs
through CGI using HTTP

Application server cater to applications using a higher lever API like
Servlets, JSP, ASP.
and it handles business logic.


People cites Tomcat as a webserver and JBoss as an application server.
Here is my doubt, In my project I uses Tomcat (Struts, Spring,
Hibernate). We process the business logic in the service layer. With
spring, we creates different services.

So why cant I call Tomcat an application server? What is there extra in
JBoss?

You can call Tomcat an Application Server and/or a Web Server. An
application server seems to be anything that can do more than return
an HTML page from an http request. However, there is Sun defined
distinction between JBoss and Tomcat. The former is a certified J2EE
server <http://java.sun.com/j2ee/verified/index.jsp>.

 

[Thomas Hawtin]

People cites Tomcat as a webserver and JBoss as an application server.
Here is my doubt, In my project I uses Tomcat (Struts, Spring,
Hibernate). We process the business logic in the service layer. With
spring, we creates different services.

So why cant I call Tomcat an application server? What is there extra in
JBoss?
(I never used JBoss)

It seems to be a marketing thing.

Tomcat serves web applications. It is a web application server. A web
application server is a type of application server.

EJB (before EJB3) has been effectively sold for web-only applications.
The key selling point is that in order to do things properly you need an
application server. It appears to be very easy to confuse logical and
physical separation. Complete nonsense, but a very effective way to sell
to the hard of thinking.

Tom Hawtin

 

[isamura]

:
: Tomcat is a servlet container. That is, it's a web server that allows
: server-side processing by J2EE processes: Java servlets, jsp pages,
: and what goes with them. JBoss and other application servers can
: handle multiple different web applications simultaneously. It can keep
: them separate from each other, and offer each a servlet container
: environment. It also can host EJBs that other J2EE apps (not just on
: the same server) can use.
:
Tomcat can run multiple apps with each under a unique CONTEXT. Each context seem to live in its own
space. How does a "real" application server different in this respect?

Curious,

..k

 

[Thomas Hawtin]

an HTML page from an http request. However, there is Sun defined
distinction between JBoss and Tomcat. The former is a certified J2EE
server <http://java.sun.com/j2ee/verified/index.jsp>.

The JBoss package has been certified as J2EE(TM) and contains servers.
Tomcat has been certified as a server within J2EE(TM) packages. J2EE(TM)
is a branding exercise more than anything else. There is nothing magical
about it.

Tom Hawtin

 

[Tim Slattery]

:
: Tomcat is a servlet container. That is, it's a web server that allows
: server-side processing by J2EE processes: Java servlets, jsp pages,
: and what goes with them. JBoss and other application servers can
: handle multiple different web applications simultaneously. It can keep
: them separate from each other, and offer each a servlet container
: environment. It also can host EJBs that other J2EE apps (not just on
: the same server) can use.

Tomcat can run multiple apps with each under a unique CONTEXT. Each context seem to live in its own
space. How does a "real" application server different in this respect?

I didn't know that. I have no idea how Tomcat's CONTEXTs compare to
JBoss's (or Geronimo's or Weblogic's) applications. And I don't the
answer to the question.