JBoss vs Wildfly: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss the key differences between JBoss and Wildfly.

1. JBoss: JBoss is an open-source Java-based application server developed by Red Hat. It is a robust, scalable, and highly customizable platform that provides support for Java EE (Enterprise Edition) applications.

2. Wildfly: Wildfly, previously known as JBoss Application Server or JBoss AS, is also an open-source Java-based application server. It is the successor to the JBoss AS and is developed by Red Hat. Wildfly offers a lightweight, fast, and flexible platform for Java applications, emphasizing modularity and ease of use.

3. Packaging and Size Difference: JBoss is known for its monolithic packaging, where the entire platform and its services are bundled together, resulting in a larger size and higher resource requirements. In contrast, Wildfly follows a modular approach, allowing users to choose and deploy only the required services, leading to a smaller footprint and reduced resource consumption.

4. Java EE Compatibility: JBoss traditionally focused on providing full support for the Java EE standard, making it a suitable choice for large enterprise applications. On the other hand, Wildfly aims to support the latest Java EE specifications while also being a platform for microservices and modern web applications, offering more flexibility for developers.

5. Management and Administration: JBoss provides a centralized management interface, known as the JBoss Management Console, for configuring and monitoring the application server. Wildfly, however, introduced a more advanced management and administration tool called the Wildfly Command Line Interface (CLI), which offers enhanced capabilities for scripting and automation.

6. Development Community and Release Cycles: JBoss has a large and established community, given its long history in the market. As a result, it benefits from more extensive community support, documentation, and third-party libraries. Wildfly, being the newer version, has a smaller community but benefits from shorter release cycles, allowing for quicker adoption of new features and bug fixes.

In summary, JBoss and Wildfly differ in terms of packaging and size, Java EE compatibility, management and administration tools, and the development community. While JBoss provides a more comprehensive solution for traditional Java EE applications, Wildfly offers a lighter, more modular platform catering to microservices and modern web applications with faster release cycles.