Tims Servlet Tutorial

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  1. What are servlets ?
  2. The Hello World Servlet
  3. Running Servlets
  4. Reading Form Data
  5. Servlet Configuration
  6. Client Side Form Validation
  7. Cookies
  8. Sessions
  9. Authentication
  10. Dynamic Images
  11. Design, Testing, Security
  12. Servlets and Apache
  13. Using Servlets in SOCS

What are Servlets ?


Servlets are Java programs which are run on a webserver using a special secure environment. (Under Apache this is known as the JServ). Functionally they operate in a very similar way to CGI scripts, however, being Java based they are more platform independent. They are probably best described by the following :-

'JavaTM Servlets provide web developers with a simple, consistent mechanism for extending the functionality of a web server and for accessing existing business systems. A servlet can almost be thought of as an applet that runs on the server side - without a face. Java Servlets have made many web applications possible.

Servlets are the Java platform technology of choice for extending and enhancing Web servers. Servlets provide a component-based, platform-independent method for building web-based applications, without the performance limitations of CGI programs. And unlike proprietary server extension mechanisms (such as the Netscape Server API or Apache modules), Servlets are server and platform-independent. This leaves you free to select a "best of breed" strategy for your servers, platforms, and tools.

Written in Java, Servlets have access to the entire family of Java APIs, including the JDBC API to access enterprise databases. Servlets also access library of HTTP-specific calls, and all the benefits of the mature Java language, including portability, performance, re-usability, and crash protection.'

Taken from : http://java.sun.com


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