An application server and a web server are both types of servers, but they serve different purposes. An application server is used to host applications, while a web server hosts websites. In this article, we will discuss the differences between these two types of servers and how they are used.
What is an Application Server?
An Application Server is a software program that provides the infrastructure and resources necessary for the development, deployment, and execution of web-based applications. Application Servers typically include a web server, an application server, a database server, and a messaging server. Application Servers abstract away the details of individual hardware and software platforms, allowing developers to focus on building applications that are portable across different environments.
Application Servers also provide scalability and high availability by distributing the workload across multiple servers. In addition, Application Servers can offer a variety of services to web applications, such as security, session management, load balancing, and caching. As a result, Application Servers play a vital role in enabling the development and deployment of modern web applications.
What is a Web Server?
- A Web server is a computer system that processes requests via HTTP, the basic network protocol used to distribute information on the World Wide Web. When a user enters a URL into their Web browser, they are making a request to the Web server that houses the website they are trying to access. The Web server then looks up the requested URL in its directory of Web pages and sends the corresponding HTML file to the user’s browser. In addition to HTML files, Web servers can also send images, videos, and other types of content.
- Most large websites are hosted on multiple Web servers in order to handle the high volume of traffic they receive. small websites are typically hosted on shared Web servers, which are housed in large data centers. These data centers provide power backup, cooling, and security for the servers. Many Web hosting companies also offer domain name registration services, which allow businesses and individuals to purchase their own unique domain names.
- Once a domain name has been registered, it can be pointed to a specific Web server, allowing visitors to access the website by typing in the domain name. Domain name registration and Web hosting are often bundled together as one service. Shared Web hosting is usually much cheaper than buying your own dedicated Web server outright.
Difference between Application Server and Web Server
Application servers and web servers are both types of servers that process requests from clients. However, they differ in the type of requests they can handle and the resources they provide. Application servers are designed to process requests that require access to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) or other back-end services. In contrast, web servers primarily handle requests for static content, such as HTML pages or images.
Application servers also typically offer a more comprehensive set of features than web servers, including support for session management, security, and scalability. As a result, application servers are typically used for more complex applications, while web servers are more suited for simple applications or serving static content.
Conclusion
So, what is the difference between an application server and a web server? In short, an application server hosts applications while a web server delivers content to users. An application server manages connections from clients and provides security for the hosted applications. A web server responds to user requests for pages or files and sends the requested information back to the user’s computer.
