App Server vs.
Web Server: Key
Differences
Here is an overview of the main distinctions between app and web servers:
Web Servers Point of Comparison Applica
Hosts applicatio
Hosts websites and responds to
Main purpose complex interac
simple web requests
business logic
Only delivers static content via
Type of content Delivers static a
HTML
The client-serve
HTTP/HTTPS protocols only Protocols occur via severa
including HTTP
No Application connection Yes
Has access to th
Has access to a static database Database connection
database
Serves web and
Web browsers Typical client
and web browse
Uses multi-threa
Does not support multi-threading Multi-threading
multiple request
Facilitates traffic that does not Facilitates resou
Resource consumption
consume a lot of resources processes
Web container (
web services), E
Web container only Containers
Application Clie
security)
Very low Capacity High
A hypertext document that displays Interaction result Files that contai
information on a browser specific purpose
client needs
What Is a Web Server?
A web server is a computer system that stores, processes, and delivers web pages to
clients. The client is almost always a web browser or a mobile application. Depending
on the setup, a web server can store one or more websites.
This type of server only delivers static HTML content, such as:
Documents
Images
Videos
Fonts