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Apache Tomcat VS Eclipse Jetty

Compare Apache Tomcat VS Eclipse Jetty and see what are their differences

Apache Tomcat logo Apache Tomcat

An open source software implementation of the Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages technologies

Eclipse Jetty logo Eclipse Jetty

Jetty is a highly scalable modular servlet engine and http server that natively supports many modern protocols like SPDY and WebSockets.
  • Apache Tomcat Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-24
  • Eclipse Jetty Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-19

Apache Tomcat features and specs

  • Open Source
    Apache Tomcat is an open-source software, which means it is freely available for use and modifications. This can significantly reduce the cost of ownership and allows for customization.
  • Community Support
    Being a widely-used open-source server, Tomcat has a large and active community of developers and users who contribute to its documentation, plugins, and forums, providing extensive support.
  • Lightweight
    Tomcat is designed to be a lightweight servlet container, making it faster and less resource-intensive compared to full-blown Java EE application servers.
  • Integration with Popular Frameworks
    Tomcat integrates well with popular Java frameworks such as Spring and Hibernate, making it easier for developers to deploy and manage web applications.
  • Easy to Set Up and Configure
    Tomcat is relatively easy to set up and configure, making it suitable for both development and production environments.
  • Frequent Updates
    Regular updates and patches are released to improve performance, security, and compatibility, ensuring the server is up-to-date with the latest web technologies.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Tomcat

  • Limited Functionality
    While Tomcat is a powerful servlet container, it lacks some of the advanced features found in full-fledged Java EE application servers, which might be necessary for complex enterprise applications.
  • Resource Management
    Tomcat's default configuration might not be suitable for high traffic web applications, requiring significant tweaking and tuning to handle heavy loads effectively.
  • Documentation Quality
    The documentation, while extensive, can sometimes be hard to navigate and understand, especially for beginners. This can slow down the learning curve.
  • Limited Built-in Tools
    Compared to other full-stack application servers, Tomcat comes with limited built-in tooling for monitoring, load balancing, and clustering, often requiring third-party solutions.
  • Security Concerns
    As with any open-source project, security vulnerabilities may emerge. It requires constant monitoring and timely updates to ensure security.
  • Lack of EJB Support
    Tomcat does not support Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB), limiting its use in scenarios where EJB is a crucial component of the architecture.

Eclipse Jetty features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Jetty has a small memory footprint and is designed to be lightweight, making it suitable for resource-constrained environments.
  • Embeddable
    Jetty can be embedded directly into applications, providing greater flexibility and allowing developers to manage the server from within their applications.
  • Scalable
    Jetty is capable of handling a large number of simultaneous connections, making it ideal for applications that require high concurrency and scalability.
  • Active Development
    Jetty is actively maintained and continuously updated, ensuring that it keeps up with the latest standards and security practices.
  • Support for WebSockets and HTTP/2
    Jetty includes built-in support for modern web protocols like WebSockets and HTTP/2, which can enhance performance and provide additional functionality.
  • Modular Architecture
    Jettyโ€™s modular architecture allows developers to include only the needed components, further optimizing resource usage and performance.
  • Good Documentation
    Jetty offers comprehensive documentation and examples, making it easier for developers to get started and troubleshoot issues.

Possible disadvantages of Eclipse Jetty

  • Learning Curve
    Because of its numerous features and configuration options, Jetty may have a steeper learning curve for newcomers compared to simpler server options.
  • Community Support
    While Jetty has a passionate user base, its community support may not be as extensive as more widely adopted solutions like Apache Tomcat.
  • Default Configuration
    Jettyโ€™s default settings may not always be optimal for all use cases, requiring developers to spend additional time tweaking configurations for specific needs.
  • Limited Commercial Support
    Jetty has fewer commercial support options available compared to some other enterprise-level servers, which may be a concern for larger organizations.
  • Complexity for Small Projects
    For small or less complex projects, Jetty's feature set and capabilities may be overkill, leading to unnecessary complexity and overhead.

Analysis of Apache Tomcat

Overall verdict

  • Apache Tomcat is generally regarded as a reliable and effective solution for serving Java applications. Its widespread use and strong community support make it an excellent choice for developers who require a straightforward and efficient servlet container.

Why this product is good

  • Apache Tomcat is a robust, open-source web server and servlet container used to deploy Java Servlets and JSPs (Java Server Pages). It is developed and maintained by the Apache Software Foundation, which ensures a high level of support and regular updates. Tomcat is known for its lightweight nature, ease of use, and ability to integrate seamlessly with many Java-based applications.

Recommended for

  • Java developers in need of an open-source and lightweight servlet container.
  • Organizations looking to serve Java-based web applications.
  • Development teams that require a flexible and customizable environment with robust community support.

Analysis of Eclipse Jetty

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Eclipse Jetty is a robust and efficient server suitable for a wide variety of web applications. Its flexibility, performance, and support for modern web protocols make it a strong choice for developers who require a reliable and scalable web server.

Why this product is good

  • Eclipse Jetty is considered good for several reasons. It is lightweight, which makes it suitable for applications where memory and performance are critical. It supports a wide range of protocols, including HTTP/2 and WebSocket, ensuring compatibility with modern web standards. Jetty is highly scalable and is often used in large-scale deployments. Its modularity allows developers to include only the components they need, reducing overhead.

Recommended for

  • Developers needing a lightweight and performance-oriented web server.
  • Applications requiring modern protocol support such as HTTP/2 and WebSocket.
  • Scalable applications that expect to handle a large number of simultaneous connections.
  • Projects that benefit from modular architecture, enabling custom configurations.

Apache Tomcat videos

Introducing Apache Tomcat 8.5

More videos:

  • Review - Webinar: Introduction to Apache Tomcat 8
  • Review - Tcat - The Leading Enterprise Apache Tomcat Application Server

Eclipse Jetty videos

No Eclipse Jetty videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache Tomcat and Eclipse Jetty)
Web And Application Servers
Application Server
64 64%
36% 36
Web Servers
61 61%
39% 39
Java
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Apache Tomcat and Eclipse Jetty

Apache Tomcat Reviews

FOSS | Top 15 Web Servers 2021
Java programs are run using Apache Tomcat. To be more precise, it is a Java servlet โ€“ a Java software component that expands the functionality of a web server. Apache Tomcat, released under the Apache License version 2, is used by 0.1% of websites worldwide.
Source: www.zentao.pm
4 Open Source Application Servers (Comparison and Review)
Apache Tomcat is an open-source implementation of several Java technologies. It is the result of a collaboration of the finest developers worldwide. You can get involved with the development in a number of ways.
Source: shadow-soft.com
Top 5 open source web servers
Apache Tomcat is an open source Java servlet container that functions as a web server. A Java servlet is a Java program that extends the capabilities of a server. Although servlets can respond to any types of requests, they most commonly implement applications hosted on Web servers. Such web servlets are the Java counterpart to other dynamic web content technologies such as...
Source: opensource.com
Top 10 Open Source Java and JavaEE Application Servers
It is built upon a modular kernel powered by OSGi, and runs straight on top of the Apache Felix implementation. It is also capable of running with Equinox OSGi or Knopflerfish OSGi runtimes. HK2 abstracts the OSGi module system to provide components, which can also be viewed as services and injected into the run time and uses a derivative of Apache Tomcat as the servlet...

Eclipse Jetty Reviews

Top 10 Open Source Java and JavaEE Application Servers
JOnAS provides a fully compliant EJB container through EasyBeans and is available with an embedded Tomcat or Jetty web container which is 1.6 JVM supported, and can run on numerous operating systems including Linux, Windows, AIX, and many Posix platforms.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache Tomcat seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 17 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apache Tomcat mentions (17)

  • Java News: WildFly 36, Spring Milestones, and Open Liberty Updates
    Versions 11.0.6 and 9.0.104 of Apache Tomcat deliver new features and improvements. The release notes can be found for both versions. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Artifactory: Centralizing Artifact Management for DevOps Success
    Download and Install Tomcat Before downloading, confirm the latest Tomcat build package from the official website. - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
  • How to Deploy Applications Using Tomcat on a Web Server
    First, download the latest version of Tomcat from the official Apache Tomcat website. Choose the version that suits your needs, typically the latest stable release. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Spring Boot Monitoring with Open-Source Tools
    Manual instrumentation allows you to define your Spans within the code itself rather than relying on automatic instrumentation finding the entry point for a trace. Manual instrumentation is especially helpful for applications that donโ€™t use an application server such as Tomcat, JBoss, or Jetty. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • Issue with chatgpy
    99% is a huge exaggeration. Two essential deployment tools off the top of my head: Https://tomcat.apache.org/ Https://docs.jboss.org/author/display/AS71/Developer%20Guide.html. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Eclipse Jetty mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Eclipse Jetty yet. Tracking of Eclipse Jetty recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Tomcat and Eclipse Jetty, you can also consider the following products

Apache HTTP Server - Apache httpd has been the most popular web server on the Internet since April 1996

Microsoft IIS - Internet Information Services is a web server for Microsoft Windows

LiteSpeed Web Server - LiteSpeed Web Server (LSWS) is a high-performance Apache drop-in replacement.

Forge - Static web hosting made simple

XAMPP - XAMPP is a free and open-source cross-platform web server that is primarily used when locally developing web applications.

Phusion Passenger - Phusion Passenger is a multi-language (Ruby, Python, Node) web & app server which can integrate into Apache and Nginx