DevOps

The Top 5 Application Servers

Explore the Top Application Server Software that deliver robust performance, scalability, and support for multiple programming languages to ensure seamless application deployment and management.

The Top 5 Application Servers Solutions Include:
  • 1. F5 NGINX
  • 2. IBM WebSphere Application Server
  • 3. Oracle WebLogic Server
  • 4. Payara Server
  • 5. Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform

Application servers, sometimes referred to as app servers, are an integral part of modern web-based applications. They enable teams to build and deploy business web applications, help to optimize functionality, and enhances the end-user experience. Key features of app servers include support for multiple programming languages, performance and reliability, security controls, and business continuity.

The market for application servers is broad. They range from open-source platforms to enterprise-level solutions offering extensive support and maintenance packages. When choosing an application server, businesses need to consider their individual needs such as expected traffic, the complexity of their application, available resources, and preferred development languages.

In this article, we’ll cover the top application servers solutions based on features, ease of use, scalability, market reputation, and user feedback.

F5 Logo

F5 NGINX is a product suite designed for creating applications and APIs with reliability, security, scalability, and high performance. The suite offers several products encompassing various needs of business applications.

NGINX Plus acts as an all-in-one load balancer, reverse proxy, web server, content cache, and API gateway. For Kubernetes traffic management, NGINX Ingress Controller optimizes API gateway, identity, and observability features. F5 NGINX further provides robust app and API protection using its WAF and Denial of Service features through NGINX App Protect.

NGINX Gateway Fabric streamlines and simplifies app, service, and API connectivity. The NGINX Management Suite provides visibility and control of NGINX instances, application delivery services, API management workflows, and security. NGINX Amplify facilitates monitoring and static analysis for NGINX Open Source and NGINX Plus.

Altogether, F5 NGINX’s suite of products offers automation, performance boosting, security, and insight capabilities to support adaptive applications that mitigate costs, enhance operations, and promote user protection. Their solutions ensure you can track, deploy, and configure NGINX Plus with a self-service approach, while ensuring compliance and security. This functionality facilitates aligning priorities in a single, unified platform.

F5 Logo
IBM Logo

IBM WebSphere Application Server is a Java server environment designed for enterprise applications, offering flexibility and security. It enables the management and deployment of applications and services, irrespective of their time, location, or device type. The server environment comes with integrated management and administrative tools which enhance security and control. The platform also supports multicloud environments, allowing flexibility in the deployment method.

IBM WebSphere Application Server is part of the WebSphere Hybrid Edition, an integration that helps in accelerating application delivery, thereby facilitating faster business responses. The application server’s functions are significant for agile businesses that rely on IT to deliver high-performing applications swiftly and cost-effectively, even in complex IT environments. The server also aids the development teams by delivering both new cloud-native apps and modernizing existing ones.

The IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment offers intelligent management and routing along with improved operations and resiliency. It supports broad programming models and open standards. The IBM platform automates operations and security, reducing risks and accelerating threat remediation.

IBM Logo
Oracle Logo

Oracle WebLogic Server is a unified platform for the development, deployment, and management of enterprise applications. The server is designed to support Java applications and is suitable for both on-premises and cloud environments. This robust server provides a comprehensive implementation of Java Enterprise Edition (EE) and Jakarta EE, making it an effective tool for modern application development.

Oracle WebLogic Server is fully equipped to support migration to modern container apps, primarily via Java services. The provision of the WebLogic Kubernetes ToolKit, an open-source toolset, simplifies the process of running applications on Kubernetes, irrespective of whether the server is based on-premises or in the cloud.

Oracle WebLogic Server for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure offers comprehensive support to run Java EE applications in the cloud. This ensures rapid provisioning and lets users choose their preferred infrastructure and pricing. It also supports application portability, allowing Java applications to run in any cloud environment.

Oracle WebLogic Server promotes application modernization to reduce time to market. The WebLogic Kubernetes ToolKit offers management tools and APIs to automate operations and ensures high availability through auto-scaling and auto-restarts of failed nodes. Integrations across the Oracle product suite further enhance performance, availability, and supportability of custom WebLogic Server applications and their interoperability with other enterprise applications and systems.

Oracle Logo
Payara Logo

Payara Server is a dedicated Application Server that caters to business critical applications. It serves both Jakarta EE and MicroProfile projects. Whether you use monolith, microservices, or hybrid infrastructure, Payara is capable of supporting your applications on-premise or in the cloud.

Payara Enterprise offers specialized compatibility with your chosen technology platform. Payara also differentiates itself on its cost-effectiveness, offering flexible payment options without charging in blocks of core usage. The Payara Community and Payara Enterprise bases both stemmed from open-source code.

Payara offers reliable support for containers, allowing for reduced infrastructure and maintenance costs. It perfectly integrates with Internet of Things (IoT) applications, making it an ideal option for edge server support. Payara enables teams to modernize their infrastructure and build microservices on the cloud.

Payara Logo
Red Hat Logo

Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform is an effective solution that offers high-quality security and scalability in any setting – physical, virtual, or a hybrid of private and public cloud instances. This platform is designed to accelerate the deployment of apps, regardless of their location.

Key features of JBoss EAP 7 include a flexible and lightweight architecture that is optimized for cloud and container deployment. Its modular design allows for the commencement of services only when necessary, reducing scale-out times and offering flexibility for applications deployed in various environments.

JBoss EAP 7 prioritizes administrative productivity, providing effortless maintenance and updating of deployments. A key feature includes its updated management console user interface, offering support for large-scale domain configurations. It also comes standard with support for Jakarta EE and other web-based frameworks such as Spring, Spring Web Flow and AngularJS, amongst others.

Red Hat offers a flexible subscription model for JBoss EAP. The JBoss Enterprise Application Platform expansion pack aids microservices development, allowing developers to use Eclipse MicroProfile application programming interfaces for the build and deployment of microservices-based applications.

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The Top 5 Application Servers