What's the difference between a ServletHandler and a ServletContextHandler in Jetty?

Question

I'm trying to get started with an embedded Jetty server. I just want to map requests to different servlets based on the request path.

What's the difference between creating a ServletHandler and adding servlets to it as opposed to creating a ServletContextHandler and adding servlets to that?

For example:

//how is this different...
ServletHandler handler = new ServletHandler();
handler.addServletWithMapping(MyServlet.class, "/path");

//from this?
ServletContextHandler contextHandler = new ServletContextHandler();
contextHandler.addServlet(MyServlet.class, "/path");

Answer 1

Most Servlet's require a javax.servlet.ServletContext object to operate properly.

Using a ServletContextHandler will create and manage the common ServletContext for all of the Servlets, Filters, Sessions, Security, etc within that ServletContextHandler. This includes proper initialization, load order, and destruction of the components affected by a ServletContext as well.

Also note, that ServletHandler is considered an internal class of ServletContextHandler and is not meant to be used "in the raw" like that with Jetty. While it is technically possible, it is discouraged for all but the most naive and simplistic implementations of a Servlet.