What Is a Web Server and Specifically Apache Web Server?

Have you ever wondered how a website actually works? A lot of people don't really even think about it. When you try to go to a website, your computer sends a request to another computer. That computer is known as a web server. It's just like any other computer, but it's designed to fulfill web requests. It sends you the website's information as a file, which your computer then displays. And your "computer" here could be a laptop, tablet, or Android or iOS phone.

The Apache web server is one of the most popular servers. It's been around a long time. It's also open source and free. So, a lot of the internet is built on Apache, which also usually runs on the Linux operating system (though it can run on Windows). An Apache web server tutorial can teach you more about the Apache application server and how it works.

Now, you might be wondering: Apache is web server or application server? It's both. A website can be an application, too. A web app is a website that's dynamic. It has server-side scripting so it can change depending on a user's needs. The Apache web server architecture supports both static websites and dynamic websites, such as those coded in PHP and MySQL.

Perhaps most importantly, the Apache web server can serve up both web apps and Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). PWAs are apps that can be used on mobile devices and that can actually use mobile native features, such as sending notifications directly to the user, or using the user's camera, video, and more. The Apache Web Server is a very robust way to serve applications and websites and it's also very stable, even for enterprise use. But then we also need to talk about what an enterprise system is.

What Is an Enterprise System?

Enterprise systems are designed for high volume, high functioning use. Some are internal. Salesforce is a great example of an enterprise system. Others are external. Starbucks' loyalty program, for instance, is still an enterprise-grade system. The enterprise application architecture is, by necessity, much stronger than any other system. Dropbox, for instance, is an enterprise system; it has to be able to transfer large volumes of data and store it every day.

Because enterprise software is so resource-heavy, enterprise software companies tend to be expensive. But more and more frequently, enterprise applications are moving to the cloud or through web applications. This is because web applications are much easier to scale. They can demand resources from other servers and services. Meanwhile, native mobile applications have to keep more data on the device, have to rely on the device's own processing speed more, and generally cannot scale as easily.

Many companies today are looking for enterprise application integration and enterprise software companies. But others are developing enterprise systems on their own, through no code and low code solutions like Lumavate. With Lumavate, companies are able to create their own enterprise applications without any programming knowledge.

What Is Enterprise Application?

So, what's the difference between an enterprise system and enterprise application? An enterprise system is usually comprised of multiple integrated applications. Salesforce is a good example because it integrates with a lot of things, from content management systems to Slack and MS Teams. Some common enterprise applications examples include Slack, Workday, and Lumavate. Lumavate has an Internal Communications Starter Kit that can help companies build an internal messaging enterprise application with speed.

So, what is enterprise application? It's a specific application designed for enterprise use, vs an enterprise system that includes multiple utilities. The principle characteristics of enterprise application is that it has to be able to support and manage large volumes of users and it has to be able to scale. Enterprise application management and enterprise application services can be expensive for this reason.

But with Lumavate, you can create an enterprise application without hiring a third party service. Your marketing team can use Lumavate and its Starter Kits to create applications that speak to both your internal and external audience. Lumavate is the only no code application platform for Progressive Web Apps; it's the only application that you can use to create an app without any programming at all.

PWAs are very well-suited toward enterprise application design because they are naturally reliable, accessible, and scalable. They can be used across any platform, they can be designed to work at enterprise scale, and they can be designed with open source elements through the Lumavate Library, which is also powered by Ionic Components. You can see whether Lumavate can potentially support your application services for free today.

What Is a Distributed Application?

What is a distributed application? A distributed application is usually just a cloud application, though it can also be distributed on other networks (such as across multiple local services). Today, distributed application architecture is really common. It's designed so that enterprises don't need to worry about scalability and agility.

Distributed application design is such that a company is able to scale quickly by deploying resources across multiple computers. For instance, a cloud system is pulling from hundreds or even thousands of systems at once. It can scale up or down as needed.

Companies don't just think about scalability in a distributed application example, but also about elasticity. They don't want to scale up in resources only to find out that they're paying for more resources than they really need to use.

If you're wondering how distributed application can be used, think about a streaming service. At a given time, a streaming service could have almost no one on or everyone. It needs to be able to support highly elastic audiences.

Developers may also need to know what is distributed application in C#; programming differs when programming distributed applications. Cloud programming can be quite complex if you're trying to program a system from the ground up. But with services like Lumavate, you can take advantage of distributed architecture without having to know the ins and outs of those systems.

The evolution of distributed application systems is taking place quite fast, with more people using the cloud today than ever. In an online and distributed environment, people are able to collaborate with each other seamlessly, connect to the same documents, and work as though they're in the same space. This has also made distributed architecture particularly useful for enterprise systems.

Enterprise Application Vs. Web Application

Now, what's the difference between an enterprise application vs web application? A web application can be an enterprise application. An enterprise application is an application for an enterprise that's built to scale. A web application can do this very effective. A Progressive Web Application can do this even better.

The primary difference between core java application and web application is that web applications are generally accessible anywhere through a browser, whereas a java application will be a standalone software system. With a distributed application vs web application, the distributed application would be on the cloud but a web application might be on a single server.

Likewise, the difference between distributed and enterprise application platforms is just semantics. Many enterprise applications are distributed, but not all of them are. An enterprise application can be on the cloud, on-premise, or on a single server.

What Is Java EE?

Java EE stands for Java Enterprise Edition. J2EE is the same thing, so if you're using J2EE, you can use the Java EE tutorial. J2EE vs Java EE is the same thing. The role of Java EE in enterprise applications and J2EE Javatpoint is to make the development of an enterprise application easier.

What is enterprise application in Java? What is the difference between Java and J2EE in tabular form? JEE/J2EE is just a set of specifications that make it easier to create an enterprise app, including distributed computing and web services.

Websphere Application Server

The Websphere Application Server is an application service that can serve a Java-based web application. Most Java applications are standalone applications that are used on-premise. But you can create a web application using the Websphere Application Server. If you use J2EE along with the Websphere Application Server, you can create powerful enterprise applications for the web. A J2EE tutorial for beginners can help.

But even J2SE full form won't offer the benefits of a PWA. A Progressive Web App is like a web application but it also includes features for native mobile devices. You can see the PWA tutorial to learn more. With Lumavate, you can create an accessible and scalable PWA without needing to know how to program in Java. The Websphere Application Server will require that you learn Java in-depth.

Web Server Vs. Application Server

We explained the difference between a web server vs application server, in short. How application server works is that it serves a web application. A web servers list may include applications as well as just files and documents. So, the difference between application server and web server in tabular form is that an application server is a type of web server.

The difference between server and web server in points is that a web server is specifically for the web. A server can be an FTP server or an email server. Examples of web server and application server hosts include GoDaddy, DreamHost, and Ionos. You can get a list of web servers and application servers, such as Apache. Tomcat is web server or application server depending on its use, and the web server and application server architecture diagram is virtually identical.

You'll see a lot of answers to the question web server vs application server quora, or web server vs application server vs database server. Ultimately, a server serves data. A web server serves web data. An application server serves application data. But with a service like Lumavate, you don't need to know the intricacies of web server vs application server Stack Overflow.

Application Server Examples

Some application server examples include the JBoss Application Server, Tomcat Application Server, and Apache Application Server. If you're wondering whether Tomcat is web server or application server, it can be both depending on what you want to host there. A Tomcat tutorial can walk you through the process and teach you more about distributed application architectur. But you don't need to worry about application servers or hosts with Lumavate. With Lumavate, you can create and host a free app at any time. Sign up for a free account today.