Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Apache Tomcat VS Oracle GlassFish Server

Compare Apache Tomcat VS Oracle GlassFish Server and see what are their differences

Apache Tomcat logo Apache Tomcat

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

Oracle GlassFish Server logo Oracle GlassFish Server

GlassFish Server
  • Apache Tomcat Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-24
  • Oracle GlassFish Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-10-19

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.

Oracle GlassFish Server features and specs

  • Open Source
    GlassFish Server is open-source, allowing developers to view, modify, and distribute the source code, encouraging community collaboration and reducing costs.
  • Java EE Compatibility
    Fully compatible with Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE), ensuring compliance with industry standards for building enterprise applications.
  • Modular Design
    Provides a modular and flexible architecture through OSGi, enabling developers to use only the components they need, optimizing resource usage.
  • Built-in Administration Console
    Comes with an easy-to-use web-based administration console for managing server settings and applications, improving user experience and efficiency.
  • Community Support
    Backed by a strong community that offers support, tutorials, and forums for troubleshooting, enhancing community-driven development and problem-solving.

Possible disadvantages of Oracle GlassFish Server

  • Performance Limitations
    May not offer the same level of performance optimization as more established or premium application servers like Oracle WebLogic Server.
  • Oracle Integration
    While integration with other Oracle products is facilitated, it can be challenging to integrate with non-Oracle technology stacks.
  • Scalability Issues
    Might not scale as efficiently for very large applications when compared to some commercial alternatives designed for high-demand environments.
  • Mainstream Support
    Lacks the extensive support and updates that come with Oracle’s more commercially-focused products, which may lead to concerns around long-term viability.
  • Complexity for Beginners
    Might have a steeper learning curve compared to simpler solutions, potentially delaying the development process for those new to Java EE servers.

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

Oracle GlassFish Server videos

Securing Oracle GlassFish Server 3.1

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache Tomcat and Oracle GlassFish Server)
Web And Application Servers
Application Server
99 99%
1% 1
Security & Privacy
0 0%
100% 100
Web Servers
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Apache Tomcat and Oracle GlassFish Server. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

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 – 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...

Oracle GlassFish Server Reviews

We have no reviews of Oracle GlassFish Server yet.
Be the first one to post

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 / about 1 month 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 / 8 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 / 11 months 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 don’t use an application server such as Tomcat, JBoss, or Jetty. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year 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: about 2 years ago
View more

Oracle GlassFish Server mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Oracle GlassFish Server yet. Tracking of Oracle GlassFish Server recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Tomcat and Oracle GlassFish Server, you can also consider the following products

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

CCH Tagetik - Discover CCH Tagetik's corporate performance management software solution for budgeting, planning, consolidation and reporting. Find out more on Tagetik.com

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

SAI360 - GRC Platforms

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

LucaNet - LucaNet offers a suite of integrated products to meet all of corporate and financial performance management needs.