JSP Vs. Servlet: Understand What is the Difference Between JSP and Servlet?
A typical website acts as a collection of various static files- like HTML files and graphics. When hosted on a server, such websites provide various dynamic functions. Such websites act as web applications. A website processes all of its client-server communications using the HTTP protocol, and in this article, we will discuss the difference between Servlet and JSP. But let us first take a brief look at their individual purposes.
What is a Servlet?
It is a Java class that lets a user extend the server’s capabilities that mainly host the applications which one can access by using the request-response model. A servlet mainly extends the applications that web servers host. However, these are capable of responding to other kinds of requests too. In these types of applications, the Java Servlet technology defines the servlet classes that are HTTP-specific.
Pros of using a Servlet:
- It has a significantly lesser response time. It is because it saves time taken for responding to the first request.
- A Servlet loads only a single copy into the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). As a result, it makes its memory faster and more efficient.
- These are very easy to access. It is because Servlets make use of the standard API that a majority of web servers use.
- The process of development is also very easy, and they remain platform-independent.
- A user can easily maintain several Servlets for just a single web app.
- The Servlets assist the developers in accessing a huge number of APIs (that are available for Java).
- The usage of Servlets causes no constraint on the web servers.
- Servlet containers provide a developer with various features- from support facility to session security, resource management, persistence, etc.
- In case the Servlets have multiple requests- then the web containers provide them with the threads. These threads assist the Servlets in handling more than one request.
Cons of using a Servlet:
- JRM (Java Runtime Environment) is a prerequisite to running Servlets on any given server.
- The process of coding is very difficult with Servlets- and so is exception handling. It is because the codes of Servlets are not, by default, thread-safe.
- The Servlets do not create a process but threads whenever they receive a request.
- The JVM only loads one Servlet into it.
- It requires a lot of experience and knowledge of Java Servlets for developing the Servlets.
- The Java codes and HTML codes stay interdependent. As a result, they may cause errors- if the changes don’t fall into consideration.
What is a JSP?
It is a text document that contains two types of text: dynamic data and static data. One can express the dynamic data by the JSP elements, while the static data needs a text-based format for expression (like WML, SVG, XML, and HTML).
Pros of using a JSP:
- One can easily use JSP for writing Servlets.
- JSPs are very feasible in terms of modification, therefore, very convenient to handle.
- A developer can process and show information easily in JSP.
- These are capable of using the multithreading Java feature.
- You can easily connect a JSP to the databases of MYSQL.
- These are capable of making use of Java’s exceptional handling feature.
- They show much better scalability and performance. The developers can easily embed any dynamic elements into their HTML codes.
- The JSP is Java-based and platform-independent.
Cons of using a JSP:
- JSP is not time and memory-efficient as they get compiled on the server itself.
- The process of database connectivity becomes very difficult for developers when using JSPs.
- One can’t typically track errors in the JSP files. It is because these are Servlet extensions. Usually, the JSP codes get processed into Servlet codes for the compilation process.
- The JSP doesn’t provide users with a lot of features because it is an HTML file.
Difference Between Servlet And JSP
| Parameters | Servlet | JSP |
| Implementation | One can develop a Servlet in a Java language. | One can primarily write the JSP in the HTML language. Although one can also write the Java code on it, in this case, we require JSTL or other languages. |
| Type of Request | Servlets are capable of accepting and processing all protocol request types. | On the other hand, the JSP is only compatible with the HTTP request. |
| MVC | In Contrast to the MVC, one can state the Servlet to be a controller that receives the request process and then sends the response back. | The JSP, on the other hand, plays a role of view. It helps in rendering the response that the Servlet returns. |
| Management of Session | A Servlet does not have session management enabled by default- a user needs to explicitly enable the process. | The JSPs, on the other hand, have session management automatically enabled among them. |
| Performance | A Servlet is faster than that of the JSP. It is because they have a very short response time. | The JSPs are slower than that of the Servlets. The slow pace is because the very first step in the life cycle of JSP is its translation into the Java code. The next step is the compilation of the code. |
| Reflection of Modification | The process of modification is very time-consuming in the case of a Servlet. This is because modification of Servlets involves recompiling, reloading, and restarting the server to reflect the changes made in the code (in any case). | The JHSP modification, on the other hand, is very fast. After making changes to the code, a user only needs to click the refresh button. It automatically reflects the changes without any delay. |
| Ease of Coding | A Servlet is comparatively harder to code. The coding is complex because, in this case, the HTML codes are in the Java language (written in Java). | The JSPs are comparatively more feasible to code. It is because Java gets coded in HTML here. |
| Overriding | A Servlet can override the service() function. | The JSPs cannot override the service() function. |
| Business and Presentation Logic | A Servlet requires its users to implement both- the presentation logic and business logic in the very same servlet file. | The JSPs, on the other hand, provide their users with the flexibility of separating the presentation logic from the business logic by simply using JavaBeans. |
| Data Processing | A Servlet is capable of handling extensive data processing. | The JSPs are not capable of handling the functions of data processing extensively and efficiently. |
| Writing Custom Tags | The Servlets don’t come with the option to write custom tags. | A JSP provides its users with the option to build custom JSP tags. These can, then, call the JavaBeans directly. |
| Implicit Objects | The Servlets don’t support implicit objects. | We have the option to support implicit objects in the JSPs. |
| Execution | You can easily host and execute Servlets on the Web Servers. | Before its execution, the JSPs compile together in the Java Servlets. The lifecycle after this process is similar to that of a Servlet. |
| Importing | A user can feasibly import all of their packages at the Servlets’ top. | A user is free to import packages in the file at any place in the case of the JSPs. |
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