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Servlets Complete Study Material

Servlets are Java programs that run on web servers to handle client requests and create dynamic web applications, offering advantages like better performance, platform independence, and robust security. Their life cycle includes initialization, request handling, and destruction, and they support session management through various techniques. Compared to CGI, servlets provide enhanced efficiency and security in web application development.

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37 views2 pages

Servlets Complete Study Material

Servlets are Java programs that run on web servers to handle client requests and create dynamic web applications, offering advantages like better performance, platform independence, and robust security. Their life cycle includes initialization, request handling, and destruction, and they support session management through various techniques. Compared to CGI, servlets provide enhanced efficiency and security in web application development.

Uploaded by

vp534026
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Servlets - Comprehensive Study Material

1. Introduction to Servlets
Servlets are Java programs that run on a web server and handle client requests. They are
used to create dynamic web applications and can interact with databases, process user
inputs, and generate responses dynamically. Servlets are an essential part of Java EE
(Enterprise Edition) and work inside a Servlet Container such as Apache Tomcat, JBoss, or
WebLogic.

Before servlets, Common Gateway Interface (CGI) was used for handling web requests.
However, CGI had major performance issues as it created a new process for every request.
Servlets solved this problem by using a single instance to handle multiple requests using
threads.

2. Advantages of Servlets
Servlets offer several advantages over CGI and other technologies:

• Better performance: Uses threads instead of creating a new process for each request.

• Platform-independent: Since servlets are written in Java, they can run on any OS with a
Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

• Robust and secure: Java provides built-in security features such as memory management
and garbage collection.

• Scalability: Servlets can handle multiple concurrent users efficiently.

• Session management: Servlets provide built-in support for session tracking through
cookies, URL rewriting, and HttpSession.

3. Life Cycle of a Servlet


A servlet's life cycle is managed by the servlet container and consists of three main phases:

• Initialization (`init()`): The servlet is loaded and initialized when the server starts or upon
the first request.

• Request Handling (`service()`): The servlet handles client requests using the `service()`
method.

• Destruction (`destroy()`): The servlet is removed from memory when it is no longer


needed.

4. Difference Between GET and POST Methods


Feature GET vs POST
Data Visibility GET: Data is visible in the URL.
POST: Data is hidden in the request body.
Security GET: Less secure, data can be bookmarked.
POST: More secure, suitable for sensitive
data.
Data Length GET: Limited.
POST: No limit.
Usage GET: Used for fetching data.
POST: Used for sending and updating data.
Bookmarking GET: Can be bookmarked.
POST: Cannot be bookmarked.

5. Session Management in Servlets


Session management helps maintain user-specific data across multiple requests since HTTP
is a stateless protocol.

Common session management techniques include:

• Cookies: Small pieces of data stored on the client’s browser.

• URL Rewriting: Appending session ID to the URL.

• Hidden Form Fields: Data is stored in form fields and submitted with each request.

• HttpSession API: Server-side session tracking.

6. Servlet API Overview


The `[Link]` and `[Link]` packages provide various interfaces and classes
for handling servlet operations.

7. Conclusion
Servlets play a crucial role in web application development by handling user requests
efficiently. They provide better performance and security compared to CGI and other older
technologies.

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