Difference Between JSF, Servlet and JSP
By Arun Kumar Biswal
At present, Java is used widely by programmers for developing a wide variety of software
applications - desktop GUI applications, websites, web applications, and Android mobile apps.
Java has been evolving consistently to simplify and accelerate development of custom applications
based on varied business requirements. Java 8 supports widely used functional programming concepts
like anonymous functions and lambda expressions.
At the same time, Java 9 helps developers to build and maintain applications easily by
writing modular programs. Also, a developer has option to choose from a wide range of Java-based
technologies based on type of application and project requirements. JavaServer Faces (JSF),
Java ServerPages (JSP), and Java Servlets are used widely by Java programmers. But the technologies
differ from each other in terms of design goal, functionality, and usage.
Brief Overview of JavaServer Faces, Java ServerPages, and Java Servlet:
JavaServer Faces (JSF)
JSF is a Java-based web framework. It simplifies web application development by allowing
programmers to building component-based user interfaces (UIs). In addition to providing a standard
of UI components, JSF also allows developers to build custom UI components through an application
programming interface (API). Also, the developers can use JSF to connect the reusable UI components
seamlessly with various data sources and server-side event handlers.
The programmers can take advantage of JSF to simplify web application development and
maintenance by using reusable components. They can even run the web framework on Java application
server, and make it render UI components according to targeted clients. JSF even makes it easier
for developers to Implement custom UI components, facilitate data transfer between various
UI components, and connect client-side code to server-side events handlers.
Java Servlet
Servlet is a Java-based technology that accelerates web application development by providing
component-based modules. The developers can further use Java Servlet as a class to extend the
web server and respond to various types of incoming requests. At the same time, the Java programmers
can also use Servlet to build custom web applications based on varied business requirements
by taking advantage of various Java APIs. They can even use Servlet to collect user input through
web forms, present records retrieved from various data sources, and generate web pages on the
fly.
Many programmers use Java Servlet as a faster alternative to common gateway interface
(CGI). They also have option to create custom Java Servlets through the packages provided by
Java EE - javax.servlet and javax.servlet.http. Java Servlet makes it easier for programmers
to accomplish a number of web development tasks - reading implicit HTTP request or explicit
data sent by web browsers, sending explicit data to the web browsers, send implicit HTTP responses
to clients, and generating results by processing data.
JavaServer Pages (JSP)
JSP is a Java-based server-side programming which helps developers to create web applications
that support dynamic content. While using JSP, the developers can access a wide range of Java
APIs according to precise project needs. They can even use JSP tags to insert Java code into
HTML pages without writing additional code. The JSP components also act just like a user interface
for the Java application. The programmers even have option to write JSP as text files, and
integrate the text files smoothly with HTML, XML, and XHTML code.
While writing web applications in Java, the programmers can use JSP as a robust alternative
to common gateway interface (CGI). But the developers can use JSP tags to accomplish common
web development tasks by using JSP tags. They can even use JSP as dynamic elements in HTML,
for creating dynamic web pages, and collecting user input through web forms. The JSP further
enable developers to avail a wide range of enterprise Java APIs by leveraging Java Servlet API.
Comparing JavaServer Faces, Java ServerPages and Java Servlets
JSF, JSP and Servlet enable developers to write a variety of web applications in Java
rapidly and efficiently. But they can use JSF as a web framework to simplify development of
large and complex web application development by implementing model-view-controller (MVC) programming
paradigm. On the other hand, JSP can be used as a server-side technology to accomplish common
web development tasks through tags and accelerate template development with client-side technologies.
At the same time, Java Servlet can be used as pre-compiled Java programs to simplify
development of web applications on the fly with dynamic content. The Java programmers has option
to use JSP and Servlet interchangeably while developing web applications based on MVC pattern.
Servlet is much faster than JSP. But JSP, unlike Servlet, allows Java developers to accomplish
common web development tasks without writing additional code. Also, JSP acts as the view in
MVC, whereas Servlet acts as the controller in MVC. It is always advisable to use Servlets,
instead of JSP when the web application is required to process or manipulate huge amount of data.
On the whole, developers can avail the features of JSP, JSF, and Servlet to build custom
web applications rapidly based on varied business requirements. They must understand the Java
based technologies differ from each other in terms of design, functionality, and usage. Hence,
they must keep in mind the type and requirements of individual web applications while comparing
JSF, JSP and Servlet.
Mindfire Solutions incorporate
a wide range of technologies, and follow industry-standard software engineering practices.
Our continuous focus on software fundamentals and computer science strengths has resulted in
a delivery team that is tough to break.
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