Web Server application?Still have doubt

[Maan Suraj]

I want to know the difference between Web server application(Apache) and Web container .

The examples of web server application.

When i install tomcat 5.0/tomcat 5.5, i want to know am i installing only container or both container and Web Server application?

Can we call Tomcat as Web server???

Please tell in detail....

[ March 19, 2008: Message edited by: Maan Shenoy ]
[ March 21, 2008: Message edited by: Maan Shenoy ]

[Ulf Dittmer]

See http://faq.javaranch.com/java/WebVsApplicationServer

[Maan Suraj]

I read somwhere the main difference between web server and application server is that web server DONT support EJB while application server does.
I also read that Tomcat dont support EJBs , so its a Web Server.

That depends on your definition of "application". In the context of JEE this is sometimes meant to include EJB functionality.

But since EJB is not required to build and run useful applications, Tomcat can very well act as an application server in a broader sense.

i installed Apache Tomcat on my machine. Does that mean that Apache will take care for static content and tomcat is for servlets container?

No. The server often called "Apache" is actually "Apache httpd", and is a web server written in C. It is not part of Tomcat (although they can be installed and used in parallel).

how can TOMCAT and JVM work as standalone application? In this case who will take care of HTML pages?

Tomcat has no problems serving static content. Anything you place in a web app will be served - JSP, HTML, CSS, JS, images, ...

It will help you a lot in understanding these concepts if you just install Tomcat (it's easy), and create a few web apps with JSPs, servlets, and static content.
[ March 21, 2008: Message edited by: Ulf Dittmer ]

[Ulf Dittmer]

Maan,

I just realized that I mistakenly edited your post instead of replying to it. Sorry about that.

[Maan Suraj]

Its fine ulf for editing my post. Anyway what matters is i uderstand these differences....so it hardly matters you edit or reply.....


Ulf i had some doubts..though your explanation was satisfactory for my first question (1st quote)i.e ( why Tomcat can b considered as application server also..) but i have some doubts in other questions....let me take them one by one...
The things in bold is reply by you.....

i installed Apache Tomcat on my machine. Does that mean that Apache will take care for static content and tomcat is for servlets container?


No.The server often called "Apache" is actually "Apache httpd", and is a web server written in C. It is not part of Tomcat (although they can be installed and used in parallel).

Do you mean to say that Apache HTTPD is only for static stuff etc....and i need to install tomcat 5.5 or so separately for my servlets?

Tomcat started its life as the JServ module for Apache HTTPD (now known as the Apache web server). It was only a servlet container and was incapable of handling web requests on its own.When combined, HTTPD would handle all web requests, would serve up all the static content on its own and forward any dynamic requests to JServ. Httpd was the web server and JServ was the servlet container.

how can TOMCAT and JVM work as standalone application? In this case who will take care of HTML pages?


Tomcat has no problems serving static content. Anything you place in a web app will be served - JSP, HTML, CSS, JS, images, ...

W.R.T above quote

If tomcat for example say i install 5.5 is capable of doing all things, then why will anyone go for Apache Httpd web server?


Also is anything to do with versions of tomcat. the quote below says(from the link)

At the time Tomcat alone was not fast enough for use in heavy traffic production environments, and didn't support SSL so it was standard practice to combine Tomcat with the Apache web server

So as is says above that earlier tomcat didnot supportrd SSL etc, so which version of tomcat was it?
[ March 21, 2008: Message edited by: Maan Shenoy ]

[Ulf Dittmer]

Do you mean to say that Apache HTTPD is only for static stuff etc....and i need to install tomcat 5.5 or so separately for my servlets?

httpd can't handle servlets/JSP, so, yes, for servlet projects you need Tomcat. But, as mentioned before, you only need Tomcat - no need for httpd.

If tomcat for example say i install 5.5 is capable of doing all things, then why will anyone go for Apache Httpd web server?

Not everyone writes Java web apps. httpd has modules that extend it to support PHP, Perl, and plenty of other functionalities that Tomcat doesn't have. It's also common to use it as a load balancer and/or SSL terminator in front of a cluster of Tomcats instances.

So as is says above that earlier tomcat did not support SSL etc, so which version of tomcat was it?

According to the TC 3.2 release notes that was in TC 3.1 or 3.2:
SSL support for standalone Tomcat. (Preliminary support first appeared in 3.1, but the support in 3.2 has received more testing and documentation support.)

[Maan Suraj]

thanks....got it....

[Maan Suraj]

Can you please explain the terma "load balancer" and SSL terminatore with a scenario.....