Apache Tomcat

Apache Tomcat

Apache Tomcat is an open source Java Servlet Container that implements specifications from Java EE and Java Servlet. It provides a web server environment to run Java code and serve web applications.
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java servlet-container web-server java-ee

Apache Tomcat: Open Source Java Servlet Container

Apache Tomcat is an open source Java Servlet Container that implements specifications from Java EE and Java Servlet. It provides a web server environment to run Java code and serve web applications.

What is Apache Tomcat?

Apache Tomcat is an open source implementation of the Java Servlet, JavaServer Pages, Java Expression Language and Java WebSocket technologies. It provides a pure Java HTTP web server environment in which Java code can run.

Tomcat is developed and maintained by developers from the Apache Software Foundation and open source community. It implements specifications that are defined in the Java Enterprise Edition platform from Oracle.

Some of the main features and uses of Tomcat include:

  • Providing a basic web server that can handle HTTP request/response.
  • Hosting and serving Java-based web applications that follow Java EE standards like Servlets and JSPs.
  • Providing an environment to run and test Java code.
  • Enabling development of web apps without needing a separate web server like Apache HTTPD or Nginx.
  • Lightweight and efficient implementation of Java web technologies.

Tomcat is very popular for serving Java web apps in production environments due to its stability, security and scalability. Major companies and products use Tomcat including Apache Struts, Apache Solr and Jenkins. It powers a significant portion of Java-based sites and apps on the web.

Apache Tomcat Features

Features

  1. Servlet container
  2. Implements Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages (JSP) specifications
  3. Provides web server environment to run Java code
  4. Supports HTTP connectors to serve web applications
  5. Manages session data
  6. Performs load balancing

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Open source and free

Widely used and supported

High performance

Extensive configuration options

Easy to deploy web applications

Integrates well with other Java EE technologies

Cons

Steep learning curve

Not as feature rich as full Java EE application servers

Additional configuration required for advanced features

More memory intensive than basic web servers like Nginx


The Best Apache Tomcat Alternatives

Top Development and Web Servers and other similar apps like Apache Tomcat

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