On Fri, Nov 23, 2018 at 12:24 PM Booth Martin <booth@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
You raise an interesting point for discussion: HTTP server v. app
server? Pros? Cons? Pitfalls? Benefits?
Booth,
Since this thread has been dedicated to helping you get a web service
running in the IWS, which requires the use of a Java app server (to host
the Java language, run-time environment, and Java Servlet specification),
it seems that your question about tech alternatives deserves a new thread.
Should you start a new thread? Perhaps you could clarify the question. Are
you asking why IBM chose to implement the IWS using Java, vs. some other
language or run-time environment?
In regard to the differences between an HTTP server and an application
server (irregardless of the language and run-time environment that may be
implemented in an app server):
Web Server:
- Serve static content.
- Focus on client communication.
- Compress client responses.
- Encrypt / Decipher communications.
App Server:
- Provide a run-time environment for languages and application related
logic.
Those seem like reasonable distinctions to me, without much overlap. Unlike
language and run-time environments, web servers and app servers don't
conflict or compete against one another. They compliment one another.
However an architectural question arises about whether it is best to
implement web servers and app servers as separate processes (Jobs), or to
join them together into one product and one process?
Nathan.
midrange.com
