Re: Application vs. Applets vs. Servlets

The following should be used as general guidelines:

Applets run on the client.  They are therefore most appropriate for
client-side functionality - mostly user-interface issues.

Servlets are meant to provide a portable, Java-based way for doing
front-end interfacing - i.e. providing an HTML front-end for your
back-end application.  While you may certainly write the full back-
end code in the servlet, it is usually not the best way.  Servlets
are controlled by the Web server, which may or may not provide the
appropriate environment for your application (scalability, fault-
tolerance, security, etc.).

Applets and servlets are usually mutually exclusive.  You use
applets if you need to provide extra client-side functionality or
other features not available with HTTP/HTML.  If you can (or want
to) restrict yourself to HTTP/HTML then servlets are your choice.

An application, whether in Java or in any other language, can do
whatever an application does, so this is usually the best place for
your business logic and the database interfaces.

Separating the front-end (whether an applet or a servlet) from the
back-end has the extra benefit of being able to modify the front-
end (e.g. support new UI standards) without touching your critical
business logic.

Nimrod


> I have been experimenting with Java Applications and using Data Queues to
> communicate with the AS/400, and the speed has been good.  I was
wondering
> what other people are doing out there for there business solutions.
After
> reading the messages on this list over the last couple of months, I get
the
> feeling that Applets are probably the slowest and least efficient way to
> handle business solutions.  But I know very little about Servlets(which I
> believe has to do with Websphere).  I guess my question is what are
people
> finding to be the most efficient way to develop business applications,
with
> the best response time?  Also in my case I am looking for something that
> does not take a lot of setup by end users.  That is why I like the Java
> applications front end, communicating with a COBOL back end on the AS/400
> through Data Queues.  It seems to be pretty quick and pretty easy for a
> third party with limited knowledge to implement.  But again, I am not
real
> familiar with all of the options and I wanted some input from other
people
> who are doing similar things, but in different ways.


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