Difference between an application server and a servlet container?

java jakarta-ee terminology application-server
Pushkar picture Pushkar · Feb 18, 2011 · Viewed 58.8k times · Source

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 they differ and when to use which?

Thanks,

Answer

Bozho picture Bozho · Feb 18, 2011

A servlet-container supports only the servlet API (including JSP, JSTL).

An application server supports the whole JavaEE - EJB, JMS, CDI, JTA, the servlet API (including JSP, JSTL), etc.

It is possible to run most of the JavaEE technologies on a servlet-container, but you have to install a standalone implementation of the particular technology.

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