Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Glassfish VS Apache HTTP Server

Compare Glassfish VS Apache HTTP Server and see what are their differences

Glassfish logo Glassfish

GlassFish v3, built by the GlassFish community, is the first compatible implementation of the Java...

Apache HTTP Server logo Apache HTTP Server

Apache httpd has been the most popular web server on the Internet since April 1996
  • Glassfish Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-26
  • Apache HTTP Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-21

Glassfish features and specs

  • Open Source
    GlassFish is open-source, allowing developers to access and modify its source code. This promotes collaboration and continuous improvement by the community.
  • Enterprise Features
    It offers a range of enterprise-level features such as EJB, JPA, JMS, and web services, making it suitable for building complex applications.
  • Java EE Reference Implementation
    GlassFish is the reference implementation of Jakarta EE (formerly Java EE), ensuring adherence to standards and compatibility with other Java EE technologies.
  • Modular Architecture
    Using OSGi modules, GlassFish allows for a high degree of customization and the ability to deploy only necessary components, enhancing performance.
  • Admin Console
    It features an intuitive and user-friendly administrative console, simplifying the management of server instances and deployed applications.

Possible disadvantages of Glassfish

  • Performance Overhead
    Compared to other application servers, GlassFish might encounter performance issues under heavy load due to its extensive feature set.
  • Complex Configuration
    Configuring GlassFish can be complex and time-consuming, especially for beginners, due to its numerous configurable options.
  • Lower Adoption Rate
    It has a smaller user base compared to other application servers like Apache Tomcat or WildFly, potentially leading to less community support.
  • Limited Commercial Support
    While there is commercial support available, it is limited compared to other leading application servers, which might deter enterprise users seeking robust support options.
  • Resource Intensive
    GlassFish can be resource-intensive, requiring significant memory and processing power, which may not be ideal for smaller deployments.

Apache HTTP Server features and specs

  • Open Source
    Apache HTTP Server is open source, meaning it is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. This promotes a large, active community that contributes to its maintenance and improvement.
  • Cross-Platform
    Apache is compatible with a variety of operating systems, including Unix, Linux, and Windows, providing flexibility and widespread usability.
  • Highly Customizable
    It offers a modular architecture that allows users to enable or disable features as needed, and to extend functionality through modules.
  • Robust Documentation
    Apache provides comprehensive and detailed documentation, which makes it easier for users to install, configure, and troubleshoot the server.
  • Widespread Adoption
    With its long history and widespread use, Apache has proven to be reliable and trusted by many organizations worldwide, ensuring a level of trust and stability.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Apache includes many features out-of-the-box, such as SSL/TLS support, URL redirection, authentication, load balancing, and more.

Possible disadvantages of Apache HTTP Server

  • Performance Overhead
    Compared to some lightweight web servers like Nginx, Apache can have higher memory and CPU usage, which may not be ideal for high concurrency needs.
  • Complex Configuration
    Apache's extensive customization options can lead to a complex configuration process, which may be challenging for beginners or those without specific expertise.
  • Less Efficient in Serving Static Content
    While Apache is highly capable, it may be less efficient at serving static content compared to specialized web servers like Nginx.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    Due to its rich features and configurability, new users might face a steep learning curve when first setting up and using Apache HTTP Server.
  • Module Compatibility Issues
    Sometimes, third-party modules may not always be compatible with the latest versions of Apache, causing potential integration issues.

Analysis of Apache HTTP Server

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Apache HTTP Server is generally considered a good and reliable web server.

Why this product is good

  • Apache HTTP Server is one of the most widely used and established web servers in the world. It is open-source, highly configurable, and supports a wide range of features through modules. Its robustness, extensive documentation, strong community support, and flexibility are some of the reasons it remains popular.

Recommended for

  • Developers and organizations looking for a reliable and versatile web server solution.
  • Those who need extensive customization and configuration options for their web environment.
  • Users who prefer an established platform with a large community and extensive documentation.
  • Teams that require compatibility with various operating systems and environments.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Glassfish and Apache HTTP Server)
Application Server
12 12%
88% 88
Web And Application Servers
Web Servers
5 5%
95% 95
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 Glassfish and Apache HTTP Server

Glassfish Reviews

4 Open Source Application Servers (Comparison and Review)
There is no cost associated with downloading Glassfish software. There is product documentation available online. In addition, there are a number of resources available including forums and a product wiki.
Source: shadow-soft.com
Top 10 Open Source Java and JavaEE Application Servers
GlassFish is often considered as the reference implementation of Java EE and so supports Enterprise JavaBeans (a managed, server-side component architecture for modular construction of enterprise applications), JPA (Java Persistence API ), JavaServer Faces, JMS (Java Message Service), RMI (Java Remote Method Invocation), JavaServer Pages, servlets and more. Glassfish allows...

Apache HTTP Server Reviews

9 Best XAMPP Alternatives Cross Platform Web Server
However, compared to XAMPP and other popular web servers in the market Apache HTTP Server is a bit more complicated and is a little difficult to navigate for a complete newbie, but if you want to understand web development from the very fundamentals and understand how Apache as a web server software works then this software can be of great help to you.
Litespeed vs Nginx vs Apache: Web Server Showdown
The most commonly used Web Server is by far Apache HTTP Server from the Software Apache Foundation. Created in 1995 by Rob McCool and Brian Behlendorf, among others. The name is a pun for A PatCHy server, as at the time of it’s inception, Apache was based on some existing code, along with some perhaps “hacky or clunky” software packages, enabling it to run. Additionally, the...
Source: chemicloud.com
10 Best alternatives of XAMPP servers for Windows, Linux and macOS
Apache is an open-source and free web server software that owns about 46% of websites worldwide. The official name is Apache HTTP Server and is maintained and developed by the Apache Software Foundation. This allows website owners to serve content on the web – hence the name “webserver”.
Top 5 open source web servers
As the Apache HTTP Server has been the most popular web server since 1996, it "benefits from great documentation and integrated support from other software projects." You can find more information on the Apache Foundation project page.
Source: opensource.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache HTTP Server seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 70 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.

Glassfish mentions (0)

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

Apache HTTP Server mentions (70)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Glassfish and Apache HTTP Server, you can also consider the following products

Payara Server - Payara Server is a fully supported, developer-friendly, open source application server. Innovative, cloud-native, optimized for production deployments. Jakarta EE & MicroProfile compatible.

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

JBoss - JBoss is Red Hats Java EE 5-compliant (soon Java EE 6-compliant) application server.

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

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

Wildfly - WildFly is a flexible, lightweight application server.