# Web container

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Web_container.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_container
> Source revision: 1356814525
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{{Short description|Component of Java web server}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2025}}
A '''web container''' (also known as a servlet container;<ref>
{{cite book
| author                = Pilgrim, Peter A.
| chapter               = The lifecycle of Java Servlets
| title                 = Java EE 7 Developer Handbook
| url                   = https://books.google.com/books?id=rY_1AAAAQBAJ
| series                = Professional expertise distilled
| date = 20 September 2013
| publisher             = Packt Publishing Ltd
| publication-date      = 2013
| isbn                  = 9781849687959
| access-date            = 2016-06-16
| quote                 = Java Servlets are governed by a web container (a Servlet container).
}}
</ref>
and compare "webcontainer"<ref>
{{cite web
 | url = http://www.slideshare.net/bputhal/j2-eee-sides
 | title = J2EE Framework for project development
 | author = Puthal, B
 | year = 2009
 | access-date = 2016-06-15
 | quote = The types of components within J2EE environment are  [...] JSP or servlet as web components running inside webtainer [...]
}}
</ref>) is the component of a [web server](/source/web_server) that interacts with [Jakarta Servlet](/source/Jakarta_Servlet)s. A web container is responsible for managing the lifecycle of servlets, mapping a [URL](/source/URL) to a particular servlet and ensuring that the URL requester has the correct access-rights. A web container handles requests to [servlet](/source/Jakarta_Servlet)s, [Jakarta Server Pages](/source/Jakarta_Server_Pages) (JSP) files, and other types of files that include server-side code. The Web container creates servlet instances, loads and unloads servlets, creates and manages request and response objects, and performs other servlet-management tasks. A web container implements the web component contract of the [Jakarta EE](/source/Jakarta_EE) architecture. This architecture specifies a [runtime environment](/source/runtime_environment) for additional web components, including [security](/source/computer_security), [concurrency](/source/concurrency_(computer_science)), [lifecycle management](/source/Jakarta_Servlet), [transaction](/source/transaction_processing), deployment, and other services.

==List of Servlet containers==
The following is a list of notable applications which implement the [Jakarta Servlet](/source/Jakarta_Servlet) specification from [Eclipse Foundation](/source/Eclipse_Foundation), divided depending on whether they are directly sold or not.

===Open source Web containers===
* [Apache Tomcat](/source/Apache_Tomcat) (formerly Jakarta Tomcat) is an open source web container available under the [Apache Software License](/source/Apache_Software_License).
**  Apache Tomcat 6 and above are operable as general application container (prior versions were web containers only)
* [Apache Geronimo](/source/Apache_Geronimo) is a full [Java EE](/source/Java_EE) 6 implementation by [Apache Software Foundation](/source/Apache_Software_Foundation).
* [Enhydra](/source/Enhydra_Server), from [Lutris Technologies](/source/Lutris_Technologies).
* [GlassFish](/source/GlassFish) from [Eclipse Foundation](/source/Eclipse_Foundation) (an [application server](/source/application_server), but includes a web container).
* [Jetty](/source/Jetty_(web_server)), from the [Eclipse Foundation](/source/Eclipse_Foundation). Also supports [SPDY](/source/SPDY) and [WebSocket](/source/WebSocket) protocols.
* Open Liberty, from IBM, is a fully compliant Jakarta EE server
* [Virgo](/source/Virgo_(software)) from [Eclipse Foundation](/source/Eclipse_Foundation) provides modular, [OSGi](/source/OSGi) based web containers implemented using embedded [Tomcat](/source/Apache_Tomcat) and [Jetty](/source/Jetty_(web_server)). Virgo is available under the [Eclipse Public License](/source/Eclipse_Public_License).
* [WildFly](/source/WildFly) (formerly JBoss Application Server) is a full [Java EE](/source/Java_EE) implementation by [Red Hat](/source/Red_Hat), division [JBoss](/source/JBoss_(company)).

===Commercial Web containers===
* [iPlanet Web Server](/source/Oracle_iPlanet_Web_Server), from [Oracle](/source/Oracle_Corporation).
* [JBoss Enterprise Application Platform](/source/JBoss_Enterprise_Application_Platform) from [Red Hat](/source/Red_Hat), division [JBoss](/source/JBoss_(company)) is [subscription-based](/source/Subscription)/[open-source](/source/Open-source_software) [Jakarta EE](/source/Jakarta_EE)-based [application server](/source/application_server).
* [WebLogic Application Server](/source/WebLogic_Application_Server), from [Oracle Corporation](/source/Oracle_Corporation) (formerly developed by BEA Systems).
* [Orion Application Server](/source/Orion_Application_Server), from IronFlare.
* [Resin Pro](/source/Resin_Server), from Caucho Technology.
* [IBM WebSphere Application Server](/source/IBM_WebSphere_Application_Server).
* [SAP NetWeaver](/source/SAP_NetWeaver).

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Web interfaces}}
{{Portal bar|Computer programming}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Web Container}}
Category:Computer networking
Category:Java (software platform)
Category:Software architecture
Category:Web applications
Category:Web development

{{Compu-network-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Web container](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_container) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_container?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.