Difference between a Web Server

and an Application Server.

(Apache vs. Tomcat)
By
Aakanksha Kshatriya
PRN:060341009
What is a Server?
 A computer, including a software package,
that provides a specific service to a client
software running on other computers.
 More specifically, a server is a computer that
manages and shares web based applications
accessible anytime from any computer
connected to the Internet.
Introduction to Web Servers

HTTP Request
Client Web Server
Response

Fig: Web Based Application using Client-Server Architecture

What is Apache?
 "Apache" is the name of a foundation that write
open-source software.
 It is a Web Server that is able to respond to HTTP
requests over TCP/IP.
 It serves static HTML pages along with graphics.
 But, there are many add-on modules that let it
modify the content and also serve dynamic content
written in Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, or other
languages.
Statistics show that…
Introduction to Application Server

Request Web Server

Client Response

Application
Server
Database

Fig: Web Based Application using Client-Server Architecture

What is Tomcat?
 Tomcat is primarily a servlet/JSP container.
 It's written in Java.
 It can server up Java/J2EE Servlets and JSP
pages.
 However, Tomcat also contains a web server
so it can also serve up static html pages.
 Web Vs. Application
 Web server exclusively  An application server
handles http requests. exposes business logic to
 The Web server just client applications through
provides an environment in various protocols, possibly
which the server-side including HTTP
program can execute and  The information traveling
pass back the generated back and forth between an
responses. application server and its
client is not restricted to
simple display markup.
Instead, the information is
program logic.
 Web Vs. Application (contd..)
 It may not support  Application server is more
transactions and database capable of dynamic
connection pooling. behavior than web server.
 We can also configure
application server to work
as a web server.
 An enterprise application
Server is a superset of a
web server
An Example….
 An online store that provides real-time pricing
and availability information.

 Scenario 1: Web server without an application

server.
 Scenario 2: Web server with an application server
Conclusion.
 It's actually possible to use both Apache and
Tomcat together, so that Apache serves the
static content, and Tomcat the Servlets and
JSPs.
 Such a separation of functionality aids
performance, deployment configuration and
allows for best-of-breed product selection.
Thank You