Ultimate Guide On Web Servers and Different Server Types

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1. Guide to Web Servers:
A web server is a software application that uses the HTTP protocol to serve web pages and files to users in response to search queries or requests sent by HTTP clients (like browsers) from their computers. When a user types a query—say, “ultimate guide on web servers”—into a search engine and presses enter, they receive a list of relevant web pages. Clicking on any of those results sends an HTTP request to a web server, which responds by delivering the requested page to the user’s browser. Web servers are always connected to the internet and are uniquely identified, much like IP addresses.

 

2. Apache Web Server:
The Apache Web Server, developed by the Apache Software Foundation, is one of the most widely used and well-known internet servers that runs on open-source software. It supports nearly all major operating systems, including Linux, Windows, Unix, FreeBSD, and Mac OS X. Powering around 60% of internet-enabled devices, Apache is known for its modular structure, allowing users to easily customize and add their own modules to suit specific needs. It is considered robust compared to other web servers, with administrative issues being relatively easy to manage. Additionally, the latest versions of Apache are more efficient, capable of handling a higher volume of HTTP requests than earlier releases.

 

3. Nginx Web Server:
Nginx is a high-performance, open-source web server known for its stability, efficiency, and lightweight architecture.

 
  • It uses a scalable, event-driven architecture that requires minimal memory and no threads to handle requests.
  • Nginx is rapidly growing in popularity, now hosting around 7.5% of global domains.
  • It is widely adopted by hosting providers and companies for its simple configuration and low resource usage.

4. LiteSpeed Web Server:
LiteSpeed Web Server (LSWS) is a commercial alternative to the Apache Web Server, known for its high performance and efficiency. It offers improved speed and lower resource consumption while supporting key Apache features like .htaccess, mod_rewrite, and mod_security. LiteSpeed can directly load Apache configuration files, making it easy to switch without complex changes.

 

5. Apache Tomcat:
Apache Tomcat is an open-source web server developed to support Java Servlets, which are Java programs that extend a server’s capabilities and handle dynamic web content similar to PHP or ASP.NET. Originally donated by Sun Microsystems in 1999 and becoming a top-level Apache project by 2005, Tomcat operates under the Apache License version 2 and is widely used for running Java applications. While its primary function is serving Java-based content, Tomcat can also be extended with the Coyote connector to act as a standard web server, allowing it to serve static HTTP content as well. Like Apace Tomcat, there are many other Java software servers like Wildfly, JBoss, and Glassfish.

6. Node.js
Node.js is a server-side JavaScript environment developed by Ryan Dahl in 2009 and is maintained by the Node.js Foundation under the Linux Foundation’s Collaborative Projects. Although it powers a smaller share of the web—around 0.2% of all websites—Node.js stands out for offering a cross-platform runtime environment ideal for building network applications. It supports asynchronous I/O, making it especially effective for real-time communication and online gaming. As part of the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript stack, Node.js plays a vital role in modern web development by enabling fast, scalable server-side solutions.

 

7. Nginx Web Server:
IIS (Internet Information Services) is a Microsoft-developed web server offering robust features for Windows-based platforms.

 
  • Unlike open-source servers, adding custom modules in IIS is challenging due to its closed architecture.
  • It supports all Windows OS platforms and provides strong customer support.
  • Besides web servers, other important server types include Mail Server, Application Server, FTP Server, and Database Server.