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ServletExpress 1.0 is a Java-based, plug-in servlet engine that you can use to provide Java enablement to your current Web server.

What are servlets?

Why are servlets good?

What is a servlet engine?

What can ServletExpress do for me?

What servers can I plug ServletExpress into?

 

What are servlets?

Servlet is a Java class that can be used to dynamically extend your server's function. Servlets, as defined by Sun, are:

"... objects which conform to a specific interface that can be plugged into a Java-based server. Servlets are similar to applets in that they are object byte codes that can be dynamically loaded off the net....They serve as platform independent, dynamically loadable, plugable helper byte-code objects on the server side...."

In short, a servlet is to the server what the applet is to the client browser. Servlets have a standard interface, which is defined in the package javax.servlet. More information about servlets can be found at the JavaSoft Web site.

Why are servlets good?

Servlets are good for several reasons:
  • If you are using a server-side servlet engine (such as ServletExpress), the servlet is running in the context of the server process. This saves the time and effort to create a new CGI process to serve an incoming request.
  • The servlets are written in Java, a stable, secure language.
  • The servlets enable Internet service vendors to create complicated, high-performance, cross-platform Web applications without having to create multiple versions of them. You can use ServletExpress with your current server to take advantage of Java's "write-once, use everywhere" capabilities.

What is a servlet engine?

A servlet extends the operation of a server. However, there needs to be an additional object in the server that manages the servlets. It should load the servlets, give them control over their execution, and so on. This is the servlet engine's role.

In essence, the servlet engine serves as a shell to the servlets, supplying them with their needs and executing them when they are called.

What can ServletExpress do for me?

Here are some of the powerful features that ServletExpress offers:
  • Better performance than other methods of extending server function. ServletExpress runs as an in-process plug-in with the Lotus Domino Go Webserver, Netscape on Windows NT, and Microsoft Internet Information Server.
  • Full support for the latest session-tracking APIs.
  • A graphical interface for servlet management. You can easily set options for loading local and remote servlets, set initialization parameters, specify servlet aliases, create servlet chains and filters, and log servlet messages.
  • Web-based remote administration.
  • Security features, including "server sandbox" and access control lists.
  • Support for dynamic page content, which enables you to easily embed Java as well as servlet tags and NCSA tags.
  • Advanced functions:
    • Security for remotely loaded servlets
    • Servlet chaining
    • MIME-based data filtering
    • Loading from Jar files
    • Dynamic re-loading of modified servlets

What servers can I plug ServletExpress into? ServletExpress currently supports these servers:



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