Difference between an application server and a servlet container?

Question

I am trying to understand the difference between a full fledged application server (e.g. Weblogic, JBoss etc.) and a servlet container (Tomcat, Jetty etc.).

How do t

Answer 1

Basically an application server in Java EE context is a software installed on a server and that implements one Java EE specification (Java EE 7 for example). That means such software (application server) must be able to run Java EE application.

Java EE defines 4 domains, the so called containers:

• Applet container,
• Application client container,
• Web container, and
• EJB container.

Two containers are part of the application server (EJB and Web container) and two others are part of the client-computer.

JBoss and Weblogic are application servers, Tomcat and Jetty are web container. That's why JBoss and Weblogic can deal with more technologies than a Web container. Application server can manage EJB.

Servlet container is not the appropriate expression to qualified Tomcat and Jetty because it is more restrictive. Tomcat can also execute JSP and JSF, not only Servlets.