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Apache Tomcat

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Apache Tomcat vs Wildfly: What are the differences?

Apache Tomcat and Wildfly are popular Java-based application servers that serve as the runtime environment for Java applications. Here are the key differences between Apache Tomcat and Wildfly:

  1. Server Type and Features: Apache Tomcat is a lightweight web server and servlet container that focuses primarily on serving Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages (JSP) applications. On the other hand, Wildfly is a full-fledged Java EE (Enterprise Edition) application server that supports a broader range of Java EE specifications, including Java Persistence API (JPA), Java Message Service (JMS), and more.

  2. Java EE Compatibility: Apache Tomcat is not a fully certified Java EE server but provides limited support for Java EE technologies. It implements only the servlet and JSP specifications, while other Java EE features may require additional configuration or external libraries. Wildfly, on the other hand, is a fully certified Java EE server that conforms to the Java EE specifications. It provides a complete Java EE runtime environment, supporting a wide range of Java EE technologies and APIs out of the box.

  3. Administration and Management: Apache Tomcat offers a simple and straightforward administration interface that allows for basic configuration and management of the server. It provides a web-based administration tool and configuration files that can be edited manually. In contrast, Wildfly offers a more advanced and feature-rich administration console, known as the Wildfly Management Console. It provides extensive control over server configurations, deployments, monitoring, and other management aspects.

  4. Clustering and High Availability: Wildfly provides robust clustering and high availability features out of the box. It supports distributed deployments, session replication, load balancing, and failover mechanisms, making it suitable for enterprise applications with high scalability and availability requirements. Apache Tomcat, being a lightweight server, does not offer built-in clustering capabilities. However, it can be used in conjunction with external load balancers and clustering solutions to achieve similar functionality.

  5. Community and Ecosystem: Apache Tomcat has a thriving community and ecosystem, with extensive documentation and support resources. Wildfly, as part of the JBoss community, also benefits from a strong community, development contributions, and technology integrations.

In summary, Apache Tomcat is a lightweight web server and servlet container that focuses on serving Java web applications, while Wildfly is a full-fledged Java EE application server that supports a broader range of Java EE technologies. Apache Tomcat is simpler and more lightweight, while Wildfly offers advanced features, Java EE compatibility, and extensive management capabilities.

Decisions about Apache Tomcat and Wildfly

I was in a situation where I have to configure 40 RHEL servers 20 each for Apache HTTP Server and Tomcat server. My task was to 1. configure LVM with required logical volumes, format and mount for HTTP and Tomcat servers accordingly. 2. Install apache and tomcat. 3. Generate and apply selfsigned certs to http server. 4. Modify default ports on Tomcat to different ports. 5. Create users on RHEL for application support team. 6. other administrative tasks like, start, stop and restart HTTP and Tomcat services.

I have utilized the power of ansible for all these tasks, which made it easy and manageable.

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Pros of Apache Tomcat
Pros of Wildfly
  • 79
    Easy
  • 72
    Java
  • 49
    Popular
  • 1
    Spring web
  • 3
    Eclipse integration
  • 3
    Java

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Cons of Apache Tomcat
Cons of Wildfly
  • 2
    Blocking - each http request block a thread
  • 1
    Easy to set up
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    What is Apache Tomcat?

    Apache Tomcat powers numerous large-scale, mission-critical web applications across a diverse range of industries and organizations.

    What is Wildfly?

    It is a flexible, lightweight, managed application runtime that helps you build amazing applications. It supports the latest standards for web development.

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