Difference Between IIS and Tomcat (With Table)

There are many software or technologies used on regular basis in your computer system which is not even known or identified by regular users. They work in the background and play a significant role in systems that it is very difficult to work on systems without this software. Examples of these software’s are IIS and Tomcat. They are developed to ease the tasks of the users. They both were programmed in the 1990s.

IIS vs Tomcat

The main difference between IIS and Tomcat is the organizations that initiated and invested in these technologies. IIS was developed by the highly reputed and well-known organization Microsoft and released in the year 1995 whereas the web server Tomcat is developed by the Apache Software Foundation and released in the year 1999.

IIS is presently the second most used web server, trailing only Apache in popularity. Despite lagging in the rankings, Microsoft for a long time steadily improved IIS with other technologies like SQL Server and Silverlight, which are both related to Microsoft. IIS is a particularly tempting web server solution because of these products, Microsoft’s .Net Framework, and the fact that most consumers are familiar with the Windows operating system.

Tomcat is a free Server-side host that supports a variety of Java Enterprise Specs, including the Websites Java-Server Pages, API,  and, of course, the Java Servlet. Tomcat’s full name is “Apache Tomcat,” and it was created in an open, collaborative environment and released for the first time in 1998. It started as the standard implementation for the first Java-Server Pages and Java Servlets.

Comparison Table Between IIS and Tomcat

Parameters of Comparison

IIS

Tomcat

Developed By

IIS is developed by Microsoft.

Tomcat is developed by Apache software foundation

Type

IIS is a Web server.

Web server environment Implemented by the Jakarta Servlet, Jakarta Expression Language, and WebSocket

First version release date

Released on May 30, 1995

The first version is launched in the Year 1999.

Programming language

IIS is developed by using the C++ programming language.

Java is the language that is used for the development of Tomcat.

Full form

Internet Information Services is the full form of IIS.

 Apache Tomcat is the full name of Tomcat.

What is IIS?

Microsoft created IIS for use in their NT operating system, which is designed for mainframe computers and web servers. It is now the #2 most used web server, trailing only Apache in popularity. Despite lagging in the rankings, Windows has been steadily improving IIS, as well as its companion technologies SQL Database and Silverlight, both of which are Microsoft products.

These apps, as well as Microsoft’s, IIS is a very tempting web server choice because of the Net Framework and the fact that most consumers are familiar with the Windows operating system. However, to run Java and JSP programs on their domain controller, users must install Tomcat, a competitor’s server program.

IIS uses a variety of languages & protocols to operate. Text, buttons, direct interactions/behaviors, picture placements,  and hyperlinks are all created with HTML. HTTP  is a standard communication protocol that allows web servers and users to exchange information. HTTPS — HTTP via Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) — encrypts communication with Transport Layer Security (TLS) for increased data security.

Files can be sent using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or its secure variation, FTPS. The SMTP, which is used to send and receive an email, and the Network News Transfer Protocol, which is used to transmit articles on USENET, are two more protocols that are supported.

What is Tomcat?

The open-source Java/JSP server developed by Apache to run in combination with their webserver was named Tomcat. Because its lone competitor, JRun, has proven to be problematic for most users, Tomcat is unquestionably the greatest at what it does. It is also incredibly popular among developers because it is free and has a large open-source community supporting it.

If you’re aware of websites or have a simple understanding of them, you’ve probably heard of the HTTP protocol or at least have a basic understanding of what it is. If you wish to provide any web services, such as simple static content using HTML (or Hypertext Markup Language), or just transport data from a server to a client, you’ll need a server, and that server is HTTP (HyperText transfer protocol).

So, we all know that if you want to construct a simple, static website, you’ll need an HTTP server, but if you want to make a dynamic website, you’ll need to utilize a servlet. To transfer simple data, we use the HTTP server. We need to use the servlet if we wish to transfer dynamic data or create a dynamic website. As a result, we require an HTTP server, as well as a container in which to run or servlet. When the HTTP server and servlet are combined, the result is the Tomcat server.

Main Differences Between IIS and Tomcat

  1. The difference between IIS and tomcat is based on the companies which developed these technologies. Microsoft is associated with IIS and Apache Software Foundation is associated with Tomcat.
  2. The programming language used for IIS and Tomcat is C++ and JAVA respectively.
  3. The released dates of these technologies are different. IIS’s first version was released on May 30, 1995, whereas Tomcat’s first version was released in the year 1999.
  4. Full forms of the technologies name are Internet Information Services and Apache Tomcat respectively.
  5. IIS is an extensible web server developed to use with all the windows os whereas Tomcat is a web server environment developed with the purpose to run the java programs and developed by implementing by the Jakarta Servlet, Jakarta Expression Language, and WebSocket.

Conclusion

Every technology is built to serve the audience. They make the tasks easy and reduce the efforts and time taken by those tasks. Some of those are successful and others get lost in the mountains of technology and software. IIS and Tomcat are an example of that successful software that are still getting used and getting updated from time to time.

IIS’s new versions are launched very frequently to be updated whereas Tomcat is an open-source implementation. This means it can be updated or modified according to its need of it. They are keeping their positions for a long time.

References

  1. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4302-0378-0_1